Ivo Karlovic has already made history at Indian Wells as the oldest man to win an ATP Masters 1000 match, and the 40-year-old Croatian doesn’t want to stop there.
Karlovic followed up his milestone first-round win against Aussie Matthew Ebden with a second-round victory Borna Coric
He fired 20 aces past his 22-year-old compatriot Coric and will battle for a fourth-round berth against Indian qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran, at 29 a mere stripling compared to Karlovic.
In a tournament that has seen 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime – one of four teens in the men’s draw –move into the third round, Karlovic’s status as the event’s elder statesman is nothing new.
“Every week I am the oldest at something,” said Karlovic, who became the oldest man in more than four decades to reach an ATP final when he finished runner-up in Pune in January.
“Next week it will be the oldest ever to walk without implants in his hip,” he quipped.
“Obviously it is nice that I’m still doing this, which I love, so hopefully I can continue much longer. But if not, it’s also good.”
Karlovic has dealt with his share of injuries in 18 years as a pro, as well as a debilitating bout of viral meningitis in 2013 that required a lengthy recovery.
“Obviously there’s always issues with my knee, shoulder, back, elbow. I can go on, but it’s all good,” Karlovic said.
The idea of spending more time with his young family, coupled with lackluster results and a falling ranking, had him wondering if it was time to retire last year.
But now that he’s on the rise again – up to 89th in the world from 138th last September – Karlovic is feeling rejuvenated.
“I know that I will not continue forever,” he said. “So I’m trying to squeeze as much as I can.”