Croats tune up for Open with Kooyong wins

Croat pair Ivo Karlovic and Borna Coric both posted victories on Tuesday as the Kooyong Classic began with injured Frenchman Richard Gasquet, one of the top drawcards, pulling out.

The pre-Australian Open tune-up was forced into a last-minute schedule change when Gasquet withdrew citing an abdominal injury.

Karlovic was originally set to face German veteran Tommy Haas, 38, but was switched to play France's Gilles Simon, who had been due to take on Gasquet.

The 37-year-old Croatian beat Simon 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 10-7 in a tournament using the match tiebreak system in testing summer conditions.

"I had a few tough games but I was able to win them so I am really happy with my serve and with the game coming into the Australian Open," Karlovic said.

"It was a little bit windy and it was also hot, which I was not used to because I've been in Europe the last two to three months."

Fellow Croat Coric, 20, coming off a four-month injury break, beat Australian Andrew Whittington 6-3, 6-4.

"It was a solid match, nothing special but I was hitting it okay and in the second set a little better," he said.

Simon said it was difficult to adjust his game plan, expecting to face Gasquet but instead playing big-serving Karlovic.

"It's more about the strategy, playing Richard or Ivo is like the complete opposite," he said.

"It's hard to play against Ivo, tough to find a rhythm but I think I did a good job in difficult conditions."

In Tuesday's final men's match at the Kooyong club, which for years hosted the Australian Open, Polish substitute Jerzy Janowicz beat Haas 5-7, 6-4, 10-4.

The four-day event has brought back women for the first time in two decades, with local teenage hope Destanee Aiava losing to Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 7-6 (7/4).

Source:AFP