A huge-serving affair is on tap for Newport, where Ivo Karlovic and Gilles Muller will battle for the title on Sunday. On the clay courts of Hamburg, meanwhile, it is all coming down to Pablo Cuevas and Martin Klizan.
Newport: (3) Gilles Muller vs. (2) Ivo Karlovic
Karlovic and Muller will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers at the ATP level and for the second time during this grass-court season when they collide in the final of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Sunday. The two big-serving veterans just faced each other in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where Muller prevailed 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to punch a ticket to the title match–which he lost to Nicolas Mahut. Thus the 33-year-old is still without a winner’s trophy for his entire ATP career (0-4 lifetime in finals). Muller, ranked 39th in the world, has given himself another opportunity this week thanks to victories over Victor Estrella Burgos, Adrian Mannarino, and Donald Young.
Karlovic registers one spot ahead of Muller in the rankings at No. 38. The 6’11” Croat is bidding for his seventh career title and first of 2016; it would mark his third on grass, following a pair of triumphs in Nottingham (2007 and 2008). Karlovic suffered a disappointing second-round loss at Wimbledon to Lukas Lacko, but he is back in business with Newport defeats of Frank Dancevic, Marco Chiudinelli, and Marcos Baghdatis. The 37-year-old never broke Baghdatis on Saturday, but he generated an impressive eight chances. Not too surprisingly, there was not a single break and not even a break point in last month’s Karlovic-Muller showdown. This, of course, will also come down to just a few critical points–and in those moments a slight edge may go to Karlovic given his title-winning experience and a serve that is even scarier than that of Muller.
Pick: Karlovic in 3
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Hamburg: (3) Pablo Cuevas vs. (7) Martin Klizan
Heading into Sunday’s final at the German Tennis Championships, Klizan’s last nine ATP-level wins have come at 500-point tournaments. He has not won a match at an ATP event worth something other than 500 points since February 5. The Rotterdam champion finds himself in another title match thanks to victories this week at the expense of Igor Sijsling, Louis Wessels, Daniel Gimeno-Traver, and Stephane Robert.
Next up for the 47th-ranked Slovak on Sunday is a first-ever ATP-level encounter with Cuevas. They squared off two years ago on the clay courts of the Barranquilla Challenger (also in a final), with Cuevas cruising 6-3, 6-1. The 24th-ranked Uruguayan already owns two ATP titles this year, giving him five for his career. As one might expect, all five of Cuevas’ titles have come on the red stuff. He is one win away from another triumph following straight-set wins in Hamburg over Florian Mayer, Thiago Monteiro, Paul-Henri Mathieu, and Renzo Olivo. Cuevas has been the best player this entire week and there is no reason to think that will change against Klizan.
Pick: Cuevas in 2
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who ya got?
Gilles ftw in three and cuevas in three
I’ll take the good doctor in 3 sets. Only way I see this one having fewer than 2 tiebreaks is if Gilles is able to do something with Ivo’s serve. The number of break opportunities today for Ivo was encouraging, but I doubt he gets more than a few against the lefty.
This is really a toss up in my mind, but I’ll say the 3rd Newport final is the charm for Ivo.
Cuevas has been very impressive all season long, and I will go with his consistency over the hot and cold Klizan
KLIZAN!! Before this week I thought he would play himself into form to make semis and maybe final but not another ATP 500 title!! Convincing win too. Klizan saves best for last. Also ARV beat Verdasco. Good call on that one. I guess Verdasco couldn’t take advantage of the easier road he had. Ramos-Vinolas is balling this year. #vamosramos
And only reason I thought he could play into form was because how easy his draw was lol. Beating cuevas easy in the finals is extremely impressive though. Great stuff from the Slovak.
Let’s go Gilles!! One more set!!
What a match in Newport final. Right now it’s 11-11 in the third tiebreak and both already had three matchpoints!
Gutwrenching loss. I’m so sad… Muller please find a way to win a title at some point in your career. Best player to have never won one hands down imo.??
And he’s one of my favorites. Definitely one of my top 5. If I had to make a list off top of my head I’d say 1)fed 2)Stan 3)muller 4)Kyrgios 5)Del Po. God I feel depressed after he lost that. Up 3-1 in the final set breaker too!! AND let a lob go that landed about three feet in at 5-5 in second set breaker that he could’ve put away. Also missed a few really easy forehands in the second set breaker. God I’m bummed now. Come on Gilles. Find a way to do well in DC. I really hope he doesn’t have a hangover and fall in that tricky match he potentially has against Dodig.
letting that lob go was a DISASTER
Completely awful
I’d say the best player still searchin’ for his first has to be Benneteau. But Gilles is really close 🙂
Geez, that match was so close
Oh yeah he has made ten finals that’s true. Idk I’m a bit biased cuz muller is one of my favorites. I just really enjoy watching him. I think his game is interesting even though he has a big serve cuz he’s got that lefty aspect and has great volleys too.
Ivo takes it on his fifth opportunity! 14-12 with three matchpoints defended by him in the third set TB.
I love watching both of these guys play and I haven’t really been rooting for someone but I’m really happy that Ivo finally got his Newport crown.
Therefore, Gilles drops to 0-5 in Tour level finals.
By the way, who’s holding the record for most finals lost without winning one? Is it Benneteau with his 0-10?