Hewitt humbled in horror show
Standing 6 foot 10 inches (2.083 metre) in his bare feet, Karlovic is the tallest man to have played the grand slam in its 127-year history.
But despite this, he barely registers on the tennis radar.
Until yesterday's first round match he had played just 10 matches at full Tour level and never at a grand slam.
But in front of a spellbound Centre Court crowd, the Goliath downed the Australian top seed 1-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.
It was an incredible result and one which left Hewitt saddled with the unwanted tag as first champion since tennis turned professional in 1968 to lose in the first round.
"I was a little bit lucky, but that's life," Karlovic stuttered.
Clearly enjoying his new-found celebrity, he added: "I really enjoyed playing this. I am excited... (but) I believe I'm going to realise some other day that I won."
Within moments of his victory he had received a call from compatriot and 2001 champion Goran Ivanisevic.
"He was always my idol and I always saw him as a God," the 24-year-old said. "I spoke with him just now and he congratulated me on my win."
Hewitt left court shell-shocked, beaten by a man who had scraped together just four full Tour level wins and $155,772 in three years hacking round the circuit.
But all the Australian's millions and tournament titles could not save him from his fate.
Only once before in the tournament's 126-year history had a champion lost in the opening round. That was in 1967 when Manuel Santana lost to Charlie Pasarell, and Hewitt will have much soul-searching to do.
"It's hard to say now that I will go away and learn something from this but yeah, hopefully I will," Hewitt said.
"Sure as defending champion it is disappointing but I'd be disappointed losing first round at Wimbledon any time."
His girlfriend Kim Clijsters followed Hewitt on to court and was clearly in a hurry to get off and console him.
The women's second seed swept past Paraguayan Rossana Neffa-De los Rios 6-0 6-0 in just 32 minutes.
Clijsters was joined in round two by fourth seed Venus Williams who battered her way past qualifier Stanislava Hrozenska 6-2 6-2 in 50 minutes.
Looking every inch the queen of sunny Court Two in her silver tiara-like hairband and dangling earrings, the twice former champion simply overpowered the world number 194.
"It's always nice to have a good match in the first round," the twice-champion said.
Former champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States had to go through the pain barrier before emerging with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 win over Austria's Samantha Stosur to move into the second round at Wimbledon.
Davenport, who lifted the trophy here in 1999 to deny Steffi Graf an eighth crown, has been suffering with a trapped nerve in her foot, just the latest in a string of problems which have hampered her since her win.
Stosur gave her a tougher workout than she might have hoped for and the 27-year-old Californian was happy to advance to a meeting with Rita Grande of Italy.
"My foot right now for the most part is feeling pretty good. I'm not able to do everything that I would love to do but with any injury you just need to adapt and try and move forward from here."
"But I was able to get through and you just keep looking for better days."
The fifth seed described the row between the players and the Grand Slams over the formers' desire for a greater share of prizemoney as a "tricky issue," although it could potentially lead to a boycott in the future.
"It's not going to be easily won at all for the players' side," said Davenport but she noticeably avoided taking sides over the controversy and insisted the women had not broached the idea of a strike.
Men's fifth seed Andy Roddick blasted past Italy's Davide Sanguinetti 6-2 6-3 6-3. The 20-year-old American, fresh from winning on grass at the Stella Artois Championships, rained down 14 aces in a devastating display of power-hitting on Court One.
Roddick, who has never been beyond the third round at the All England Club, will face fellow big server Rusedski in the second round. The Briton, a winner on Nottingham's grass last week, beat Alexander Waske of Germany 7-6 7-5 7-6.
The clash promises to be an explosive one. Roddick and Rusedski share the record of 149 miles (239.8 km) per hour for the world's fastest serve.
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