Zagreb, Croatia (SportsNetwork.com) - Zagreb's own Ivo Karlovic was a hard- fought opening-round winner Tuesday at the Zagreb Indoors tennis tournament.
The 6-foot-10 slugger served his way past German Daniel Brands, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), at Dom Sportova. Karlovic blasted 44 aces and was not broken by Brands, who popped 15 aces in a losing effort.
Also on Day 2, German Michael Berrer outlasted Croatian wild card Borna Coric 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Serb Dusan Lajovic whipped qualifier compatriot Pedja Krstin 6-2, 6-3; Slovak Lukas Lacko doused German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4; and German Bjorn Phau erased Croatian wild card Ante Pavic 6-3, 6-4.
The second round will commence Wednesday when fifth-seeded Croatian favorite Marin Cilic meets Lajovic. Cilic is the reigning Zagreb titlist and also captured this event back-to-back in 2009 and 2010.
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