Biofile with Ivo Karlovic

Biofile with Ivo Karlovic  | read this item

 Photo Credit: Henk Abbink

Status: Winner of four ATP singles titles. Highest singles rank is #14. Member of Croatia’s Davis Cup team. Has wins over Federer,

Hewitt, Roddick, Blake, Djokovic.

Ht: 6-10 Wt: 230 pounds.

DOB: February 28, 1979 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Hobbies/Interests: “You know, it is difficult to have like a real hobby because like every week we are on the road and professional tennis takes a lot of time. But I like basketball, movies and music. (How about boxing?) Oh yeah, actually, because when I was younger, when I was 16, I was a little bit practicing it. So yeah, I also like it. (How did you do?) It was only amateur, I was never actually in the ring but I liked it. And because of my long arms, the trainer who had this local club was really, really interested in me changing sports [smiles], to change from tennis to boxing. But it didn’t happen.”

Nicknames: “Ivobek. And also Karlo. (They also call you Dr. Ivo.) Yeah, Dr. Ivo, yeah. I heard that also.”

Favorite Movies: “The Shawshank Redemption and Kill Bill I & II.”

Favorite TV Shows: “It’s a lot of them. I like comedies mostly.”

Childhood Heroes: “It was probably (Boris) Becker and (Toni) Kukoc, basketball star.”

Musical Tastes: “I can listen to everything, cool music, from hip-hop, rap, to rock ‘n roll. (Name some names.) Pearl Jam I like. Snoop [smiles].”

First Tennis Memory: “When I was young my dad (Vlado) said that I was gonna be in some sports. And he said that it would be tennis because it’s no injuries. So he was dragging me to the tennis court. And I was like, No, no, no. I don’t want to go [smiles]. But after, I like it. So I stayed with it.”

Pre-Match Feeling: “Try to stay relaxed and not have a lot of pressure on me. And try to have fun.”

First Job: “Job [smiles]? Tennis.”

First Car: “Opel (silver).”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Chocolate.”

Favorite Meal: “I like lamb when it’s like really nicely cooked.”

Last Book Read: “You got me there [laughs]. Last book…I have to think…Coelho…(Paulo Coehlo, The Alchemist?) Yeah.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Every day that I win is unbelievable feeling. And every day if I lose it’s unbelievable shit feeling [smiles]. So, it depends. If you lose, it is here [puts hand low], if you win, it is here [puts hand high].”

Most Painful Moment: “Well, tennis is not something that can really hurt me if I lose, so I cannot say right now.”

Favorite Tournament: “I like to play Washington is really nice. (Why here?) Because I like this area, it’s really nice. Wimbledon and New York.”

Closest ATP Friends: “There is [Victor] Hanescu, [Jan] Hernych, (just at this moment Tommy Haas walks by and says, ‘Me.’ Ivo smiles and says ‘Not you.’), [Teimuraz] Gabashvili now. Because I went on road trip with him from Indianapolis (to) here in the car. (You’re friends now?) Yes, we are friends now [smiles].”

Funniest Players Encountered: “Ivanisevic had to be one of them. Zovko — you don’t know him. (Lovro Zovko?) Yes, Lovro Zovko.”

Toughest Competitors: “Probably it was Roger and Roddick I think.”

Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “I cannot think of it right now.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty and unselfishness.”

Childhood Dream: “Grand Slam winner.”

Funny Tennis Memory: “The other day this lady said, ‘Oh my God, you are so tall, you can be a rower (like boat rower).’ So, I don’t know, it was unusual comment [smiles].”

Family: Wife, Alsi.

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Topics: Atp Singles, Basketball Star, Boris Becker, Childhood Heroes, Coelho Paulo, Cool Music, Davis Cup, Davis Cup Team, Favorite Tv, First Job, Hip Hop Rap, Hobbies Interests, Ivo Karlovic, Local Club, Musical Tastes, Photo Credit, Professional Tennis, S Davis, Shawshank Redemption, Tennis Court, Toni Kukoc, Vlado