BNP Paribas Open: Rafael Nadal vs. Ivo Karlovic – Quarterfinal Preview
World number 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain will encounter world number 239 Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.
In the fourth round, Nadal beat world number 84 Somdev Devvarman of India in straight sets 7-5, 6-4. While, Karlovic upset world number 26 Albert Montanes of Spain 7-6(7), 6-2.
This will be the 4th meeting between these two. The Spanish leads Karlovic 3-0 in the head-to-head record.
Nadal defeated Karlovic in four sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 when the pair met last time in the fourth round of the 2010 Australian Open.
The 24-year-old battled past the Croatian in three thrilling sets 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in the quarter-finals at the AEGON Championships in Queen’s Club in 2008. None of the two players was able to break other’s serve, taking all three sets to tie-break in this match.
The first meeting between Nadal and Karlovic was in the round of 32 at the Milan Indoors, where the Spanish prevailed in three sets 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1.
The Spanish is looking to win his first title of the year here. He has a 12-2 win/loss record this year so far. The right handed began the year at the Qatar Open, where he lost to Russian Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 2-6 in the semi-final. He was beaten by David Ferrer 4-6, 2-6, 3-6 in straight sets in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.
Nadal pulled out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship due to a thigh injury he sustained at the Australian Open. He helped his country to get through to the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup by winning both of his matches in the Spain vs. Belgium World Group tie.
Karlovic has won 7 out of 14 matches this year. He started the season at the Qatar Open, where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko of Russia in straight sets 3-6, 5-7 in the quarter-finals.
After that, the 32-year-old won just a single match from his next 7 matches. The Croatian was beaten by his compatriot Ivan Dodig in five thrilling sets 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 4-6, 4-6 in the opening round at the Australian Open. He lost to Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets 6-7(14), 6-7(1) in the first round at the Delray Beach ITC.
Nadal has a 29-4 career win/loss record at the BNP Paribas Open. He won the title here in 2007 and 2009 defeating Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in the final respectively. He lost to the eventual champion, Ivan Ljubicic in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-7(1) in the semi-finals last year.
The Spanish is expected to prevail over Karlovic due to his superior ranking. The head-to-head record between the two players also favours Nadal to win.
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