Monday 6 July 2015 23:01, UK
After Andy Murray advanced to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, we pick five talking points from his four-set win over Ivo Karlovic.
Murray can handle big servers
Like the archetypal outlaw in a Western, Karlovic sprayed bullets around Centre Court before being driven out of Wimbledon to raucous cheers as local hero Murray reached the quarter-finals. Karlovic's serve is one of tennis's most terrifying weapons and had been much hyped before the match, with the 6ft 11in Croat firing out a whopping 136 aces in his first three matches.
Just last month he blasted an ATP Tour three-set record 45 aces against Tomas Berdych in Halle, and boasted the fastest serve of all time at 156mph until Sam Groth's 163mph effort in 2012.
The 36-year-old’s opening deliveries, one of which reached up to 136mph, were however handled coolly by Murray who limited the Croat to 29 aces in the match.
Murray played to his strengths and kept his groundstrokes low and short and came out on top in the first serve points winning 80 per cent compared to Karlovic's 76 per cent.
Speed and accuracy
While Karlovic’s towering frame is often a weapon used to his advantage, Murray kept his opponent on the move in a cat-and-mouse match, making it difficult for Karlovic to cover the court at speed. The 2013 champion was able to handle 36-year-old Karlovic, the oldest man to make the fourth round at the All England Club since compatriot Niki Pilic in 1976, and keep the veteran on the back-foot throughout.
Even with Karlovic's tall frame, the Scot was able to lob his opponent on a number of occasions, showing he has the variety in his game and a keen eye to pick him off. Murray, who has now reached the last eight for the eighth consecutive year, is one of the game's most skilled returners in the game bar none.
Murray has now won nine matches in a row on grass, following up his best ever clay-court season with a fourth title at Queen's ahead of Wimbledon. The Briton has always enjoyed playing on grass but the added variety and aggression in his game makes the 28-year-old an even tougher opponent this year.
Lack of errors
Murray hit 62 winners to the Croatian's 75 but crucially only nine unforced errors to his rival's 32.
"I came up with some good lobs and passing shots. I just needed to keep him low," said Murray. "It was an incredibly difficult match, it was mentally tiring because you just have to be ready when the chances come."
Although he did drop a set, he never looked truly troubled by the Croat, whose all-round skill set is lacking in some key departments. Murray required seven set points to take the opener and just a single break for the second set. Karlovic saved one match point but was powerless on the second as Murray stretched his career record over the veteran to 6-0.
Home support
As Britain’s sole representative in the second week of Wimbledon, Murray is carrying the flag for the nation and this was reflected in the crowd support.
As seen in fellow Brit Heather Watson’s match against Serena Williams on Friday, the Wimbledon atmosphere can really lift a player and this was no different for Murray. The raucous home crowd got behind the 2013 champion at crucial points in the match and spurred their man on to victory.
Using the crowd as motivation has become an emerging feature of Murray's game in recent months and it could
prove the difference, particularly against world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who can crumble under the pressure of a hostile atmosphere should they meet in Sunday's final.
Winnable quarter-final
Murray will face unseeded Vasek Pospisil for a place in the semi-finals now after he became only the third Canadian man to reach the quarter-finals with a five-set win over Serbian 22nd seed Viktor Troicki. The world No 56 won his third five-set match in four rounds, including a third-round win against Britain's James Ward, and also lost a doubles marathon against Jamie Murray and Australian partner John Peers.
Pospisil follows Robert Powell (1908, 1910 and 1912) and Milos Raonic (2014) as the only Canadian men to have reached the last-eight at the All England Club, although he won't be looking forward to his clash against the British No 1, having already lost to him twice this year in Rotterdam and Indian Wells.
