Karlovic beaten in Chennai

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:12

World number 202 Devvarman upset two-time former champion Carlos Moya of Spain in three sets on Thursday and continued his giant-killing exploits as he dispatched the big-hitting Croatian in one hour 27 minutes.

In securing his first ATP Tour semi-final place, Devvarman also became the first Indian to reach the last four of the Chennai Open since Leander Paes in 1998.

The tight first set went the distance as neither player earned a single break opportunity before 23-year-old Devvarman prevailed in the tie-break.

The close contest continued into the second set until Devvarman recorded the only break in game 10 to seal the win and set up a semi-final meeting with German world number 33 Rainer Schuettler, who beat compatriot Bjorn Phau 6-2 7-5.

Wimbledon semi-finalist Schuettler, who lost the 1999 Chennai Open final to Byron Black, crucially converted six of nine break points and backed that up with a consistent first serve of 75%.

Third seeded Marin Cilic recorded a 6-4 0-6 6-4 win over Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic as the Croatian continued his fine start to the new season.

Cilic, a finalist in Chennai last year, cruised through his opening two rounds in straight sets but won just 12 of 40 points in the second set against Tipsarevic as he was broken three times.

But the world number 27 recovered in the final set to wrap up the win in just over two hours after grabbing one key service break.

Cilic will face Spain’s Marcel Granollers for a place in the final after the eighth seed beat Czech wild card Lukas Dlouh 7-5 2-6 6-4.

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