Top-seeded David Ferrer will continue his Vienna campaign on Friday against Fabio Fognini. Ivo Karlovic and Ernests Gulbis are also aiming for a place in the semifinals.
(1) David Ferrer vs. (8) Fabio Fognini
One of the most lopsided “rivalries” on the ATP Tour will add another chapter when Ferrer and Fognini square off for the ninth time in their careers during quarterfinal action at the Erste Bank Open on Friday. Ferrer is dominating the head-to-head series 8-0, including 17-2 in total sets. Only one of the Spaniard’s 17 victorious sets has required a tiebreaker. The two outstanding baseline players have met once in 2015, when Ferrer cruised 6-2, 6-3 in the final of a clay-court event in Rio de Janeiro.
A hard court should actually give Fognini a better chance–something that no one could have said earlier this season. The 22nd-ranked Italian did not win a single match on this surface from January through late August, but he suddenly turned things around at the U.S. Open. A fourth-round performer in New York mainly thanks to a five-set stunner over Rafael Nadal, Fognini boasts 11 hard-court wins following Vienna defeats of Paul-Henri Mathieu and Radek Stepanek. An inspired and in-form Ferrer has continued his trek to the World Tour Finals by taking out countrymen Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. The world No. 8 has shown no reason to suggest that this is the time and place where Fognini will turned the tide of the head-to-head history.
Pick: Ferrer in 2
[polldaddy poll=9141265]
(7) Ivo Karlovic vs. Ernests Gulbis
Gulbis will play consecutive matches against arguably the two biggest servers on tour when he completes the John Isner-Karlovic double in Vienna. The 117th-ranked Latvian improved to 3-2 lifetime against Isner by taking down the American 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on Tuesday. Gulbis preceded that upset by scraping past Austrian qualifier Lucas Miedler 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Sudden strong play has come from out of nowhere for the former world No. 10, who is still a horrendous 11-22 at the ATP level in 2015.
This will be just the second career meeting between Gulbis and Karlovic. They previously faced each other in the 2010 Delray Beach final, with Gulbis triumphing 6-2, 6-3. Current form, however, heavily favors Karlovic. The 36-year-old Croat is is up to No. 20 in the world and he is 36-22 for the season following Vienna victories over Andreas Seppi and Sergiy Stakhovsky. Gulbis generally fares well against huge servers, but he is too inconsistent to hold his own serve every time he toes the line–which is what may be required to beat Karlovic. Moreover, the seventh seed’s all-court game has greatly improved since their last encounter.
Pick: Karlovic in 3
[polldaddy poll=9139273]
who ya got?
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
Ferrer and Karlovic in straights
I agree, Ferrer and Karlovic winning in straight sets.
Ferrer and Gulbis
same as above….ferrer and Gulbis (yes…Gulbis!)
Action about to begin in Vienna first up Karlovic vs Gulbis
Gulbis has won the toss and elected to receive.
let’s go Gulbis…show us the serve boots are nothing but that!
Yes, I’m looking forward to this match, I hope Ernie puts Dr Aces out, these giants should not be allowed to play tennis.
exactly…
The simple solution would be to have a handicap system linked to Ace counts and height for anyone over 6’2″. The taller you are and the more aces you serve the higher your handicap.
action packed start Gulbis had 2 bps in Karlovic’s first service game but Karlovic saved both. Gulbis challenged 3 times in first game and won 2 of them but ultimately its Karlovic who Holds.
Karlovic had 3 Bps Gulbis saved them all and its the Latvian who holds to make it 1-1 after 10 minutes of tennis.
Gulbis gets to 0-30 with 2 good returns Karlovic is looking very ordinary whenever Gulbis returns his serve but he serves 1 huge serve then a good serve and volley point to get back to 30-30 Karlovic gets to the net but Gulbis hits a passing winner to get to BP but Karlovic saves again karlovic moves to Adv with an ace Gulbis challenges but is proven wrong so Karlovic has game point and he bombs down another ace to hols and move ahead 2-1 Gulbis 2-1 down and has lost 2 of his challenges.
a forehand winner, an ace and 2 missed returns of a huge serves and Gulbis holds to love.
Karlovic holds to 30
Gulbis nets a forehand to go down 0-15 Karlovic then nets a backhand for 15-15 Karlovic hits a forehand winner for 15-30 Gulbis misses a backhand to go down 15-40 Gulbis saves the first Bp with a backhand winner and 2nd with a good serve that Karlovic fails to return, Karlovic misses a return long and Gulbis has Game point and Gulbis does indeed hold with a good serve, its 3-3.
Karlovic moves ahead 40-0 then donates a double fault followed by a huge serve to hold comfortably and move again in the lead 4-3
It is so frustrating for Gulbis but if they get to a TB, all Dr Ace’s errors will count and Gulbis will take the set. Rafa says, playing the giants is like a penalty shoot-out.
Gulbis hits a forehand long for 15-15 then Karlovic misses a return wide and Gulbis has 30-15 another sloppy error for Gulbis makes it 30-30 Gulbis has game point and a volley miss by Karlovic and we are all even 4-4
Karlovic moves ahead quickly to a 40-0 lead and he hits another ace to hold. the first hold at love in the match for either player
sorry the 2nd hold at love but first for Karlovic
Some huge serving by Gulbis and he has a hold at love 5-5 Tiebreak looms.
and Karlovic again holds to love for a 6-5 lead Gulbis to serve to stay in the set
Karlovis nets a backhand, Gulbis hits an ace and Gulbis holds in a jiffy to force a tiebreak.
Karlovic has a mini break 2-1
a double fault by Karlovic and Gulbis gets the mini break back
3-3 as players change end
Gulbis 4-3
Thanks for the liveblogging 64aces. Watching score but the ATP livestream is down, here and in Stockholm. What in the name of heaven has got into Gulbis. Has Bresnek threatened to ditch him and concentrate on Thiem if he doesn’t pull his socks up 🙂
Karlovic’s serve is just a monstrosity but he misses a serve and Gulbis gets a minibreak 5-4 Gulbis and he will serve for the set on TB.
set point come on Gulbis
yes and he seals the deal with an Ace giving Karlovic a dose of his own medicine
Epic.
set to Gulbis 7-6 (7-5)
set Gulbis
7-4
it was 7-4 in tiebreak not 7-5
and Gulbis now has the advantage of serving first in 2nd set
I said Gulbis would take the set in a TB, and that’s what happened. That’s the way to play the servebots, just try and hang on to your serve and just one DF or any error by the servebot is enough to take the set.
Go go Gulbis go!
30-0 becomes 30-30 but Karlovic misses a return and Gulbis has game point and he does indeed hold when Karlovic nets a backhand.
Gulbis is not relaxed he is too bothered about who is at the other end of the court like all players are when playing the giants.
Karlovic missses a volley but then a good 2nd serve followed by some big serves and Karlovic holds to 15.
both players had 8 aces each in the first set.
an ace followed by some atrocious returning by Karlovic and Gulbis holds easily. 2-1 Gulbis
Karlovic again holds to 15 nothing Gulbis could do.
Karlovic challenges an out call but its way out Gulbis manages to Hold to love to move ahead again 3-2
Karlovic nets a backhand and its 15-15 but no danger for Karlovic as he closes out the game easily its 3-3
Gulbis holds to love
first point Karlovic huge serve, 2nd point Karlovic puts away an easy volley at the net, 3rd point another huge serve and 4th point a 2nd serve ace and in no time Karlovic makes it 4-4
In the blink of an eye Gulbis holds to love and its 5-4 karlovic now serving to stay in the match.
Looks like another TB in the offing. I wonder what percentage of Dr.Ivo’s sets end in TBs must be up in the 90s ?
Haven’t known Gulbis be so consistent since 2008 🙂
interesting question
in double quick time Karlovic holds to love and makes it 5-5 Karlovic yet to lose a 1st serve point in 2nd set.
bad time to serve a double fault its Gulbis 2nd of the match but he responds with an ace then Karlovic misses 2 volleys at the net and Gulbis holds again.6-5 and Karlovic again serving to stay in the match.
a forehand pass gives Gulbis the first point but Karlovic moves ahead 40-15 he eventually holds to 30 to force another tie break.
Gulbis has the early mini break with a lob winner
2-1 Gulbis
Karlovic misses long and its 3-1
backhand winner and Gulbis moves 4-1 ahead
4-2 as they change ends
Karlovic with an ace and Gulbis lead is reduced to 4-3
missed backhand by Karlovic 5-3 Gulbis
unreturnable serve and Gulbis has match points
The TB is the bane of servbots.
Gulbis takes 2 straight TBs.
Karlovic saves 1 match point as Gulbis dumps a forehand into the net Karlovic saves the 2nd with an ace but Gulbis finally gets the job done on his 3rd match point.
Stone the crows – he’s done it.
GSM Gulbis 7-6(4) 7-6 (5)
This is one time when Ricky must be pleased his prediction was wrong 😉
winner: E. Gulbis (LAT)
Good win for the erratic but talented Latvian.
Karlovic was horrendous
What in the world. Straights?
Ricky wrong again. Gulbis was fantastic, it’s time for the first atp 500 title.
everyone had Ivo. And I don’t think Gulbis is winning this title….
is this the same Ivo who played Rafa???
Gulbis playing some courageous tennis…he is not intimidated by Giant Ivo coming to the net…good win for him…
judging by the Gulbis physical appearance and his (inexistant) arm mussels I would say he does not even train…he is doing well purely on his talent… 🙂
he owns big servers
he has a good serve of his own that helps.
Johnson DF on break point
Set To Anderson looked like it was heading to a tiebreak but Anderson stole the set.
Anderson is a little bit different from Isner/Karlovic his ground game is a little better than them, his serve is good but still not in the Karlovic/Isner class.
Johnson won the 2nd set tiebreak now he is serving at 40-15 in the 2nd game of final set
Johnson holds 1-1 Anderson has the advantage of serving 1st.
Johnson finally gets the break in final set hopefully he wont donate his serve should be a good win if he manages to beat Anderson.
Anderson is an expert at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, just like he did against Tsonga in Shanghai. He’s just been broken by Johnson.
isn’t Anderson under some kind of pain?
He had treatment to his neck.
thanks. Poor Anderson…he always finds the way to lose big matches…
except against Murray
Johnson 4-2
Johnson to serve for the match, just 4 points come on you can do it.
Johnson beats the human service machine. All 3 Service machines have lost in Vienna first Isner then Karlovic and now Anderson.
Steve,
http://moopz.com/assets_c/2012/06/emoji-thumbs-up-150-thumb-48×48-140616.jpg
Ferrer down 3 bps
Fognini breaks to 15
Fognini holds to deuce 3-1
Ferrer holds on a related note Fognini’s fiancee has qualified for WTA tour finals
Ferrer breaks back
Ferrer now moves ahead 4-3