Rogers Cup Daily Tips: The Doctor's game is unwell

Events / Sean Calvert / 08 August 2011 /

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The days of Ivo Karlovic blowing away opponents with his booming serve look to be over

"Doctor Ivo has also lost in the first round of his last three Masters
1000 events and he’s only ever won one match at the Rogers Cup, which
suggests that conditions don’t exactly suit his game in Canada."

'Doctor' Ivo Karlovic is going through a very poor run of form this year, has an awful record in this competition and is up against a player who has achieved a few good results in recent times. We must opppose the giant Croatian, says Sean Calvert.

The first round of the men's singles matches in the 2011 Rogers Cup begin on Monday, with the likes of Juan Martin Del Potro, David Nalbandian and Jo Wilfried Tsonga on court in Montreal this evening.

But the match I'm going to be getting involved in today from a betting perspective takes place out on Court Nine, where Ivo Karlovic takes on Argentina's Juan Monaco.

The layers can barely separate this pair, with Monaco available to back at an attractive looking [2.1] to inflict more misery upon the giant Croatian, who has endured a really poor year by his former standards.

Karlovic has slipped to number 126 in the rankings after chalking up just 11 wins all season - the last of which that didn't involve a retirement, being back in April in the US Hardcourt Championships in Houston.

The 6'10 serving machine has been beaten 12 times in the opening round in 2011 and his form is such that Monaco should make that 13 in their first career meeting.

His poor summer was compounded by a first round straight sets defeat in Washington
last week to journeyman Michael Russell, so a return to hard courts hasn't had the desired affect thus far.

Doctor Ivo has also lost in the first round of his last three Masters 1000 events and he's only ever won one match at the Rogers Cup, which suggests that conditions don't exactly suit his game in Canada.

Monaco hasn't had an outstanding season either and has had a few weeks off the tour with a foot injury, those are the only reasons that explain why the prices are as close as they are.

But the world number 40 reached the semi finals of a Masters 1000 event as recently as last autumn in Shanghai and I expect him to be able to take advantage of a free-falling Karlovic in his first appearance in the Rogers Cup.

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