Karlovic stretches winning streak

Ivo Karlovic – the tallest man in Wimbledon history – stretched his improbable Wimbledon progress into the third round today.

The 6ft 10in giantkiller who made history by dispatching defending champion Lleyton Hewitt on the opening day bludgeoned past fellow qualifier Paul Baccanello on Court 14.

The world number 203 won 6-4 7-6 5-7 6-2 to set up a ferocious third round clash with big Belorussian Max Mirnyi.

Karlovic had battled through three qualifying ties just to earn his moment against Hewitt and the ace he banged down at the start of his first service game today was his 100th in the tournament so far.

And now he believes that he can continue his astonishing form into the second week.

Speaking through a painful stutter Karlovic said: “If I serve good anything can happen so I can expect the best but I don’t know.

“Against Hewitt I played better because I had no pressure and I could just play my game. Against Baccanello it was a lot of pressure from everybody and especially me because I expected to win.”

Fellow Wimbledon novice Baccanello had despatched another qualifier Ivo Heuberger in the first round but he was finding it hard to live with the man mountain on the other side of the net.

Karlovic’s stock had sky-rocketed after his win over Hewitt and he took to the court in an all-new sponsored kit and having benefited from two nights in a five-star Knightsbridge hotel.

Those luxuries appeared to have paid off as he breezed through the first set without giving Baccanello a solitary break point chance.

But after smashing through the second set tie-break Karlovic lost his serve at a crucial moment of the third set.

As the clock ticked past 8pm Karlovic picked up his game and delighted the majority of a packed crowd by booking his match with Mirnyi.

Fourth seed Roger Federer emerged as the main man in the top half of the men’s draw with a convincing second round win over Stefan Koubek on Centre Court.

The Swiss 21-year-old won 17 of the last 19 games of the match to grab a 7-5 6-1 6-1 victory and a third round match against recent Nottingham Open finalist Mardy Fish.

Federer made a slow start and faced a set point at 2-5 before storming through for a convincing and impressive victory.

The shock demise of top seed Hewitt leaves fourth seed Federer the highest ranked in his half of the draw.

But Federer – whose only previous foray past the first round here was two years ago when he famously ended the 31-match winning streak of Pete Sampras - insists he is not feeling the pressure of expectation.

Federer said: “Best of five set matches are too tough to think too far ahead for me.

“I know I’m the best seed but I don’t look at myself like I’m already in the final.

“Other guys have good chances to do the same and the next round is difficult with Fish. I cannot look too far ahead.”

American veteran Todd Martin reached the third round for the eighth time of his career with a surprisingly easy 7-6 6-4 6-4 win over Gustavo Kuerten.

The 33-year-old Martin, semi-finalist in 1994 and 1996, comfortably got the better of the 17th seeded Brazilian whose best results are on clay.

Martin said he hoped his catalogue of injury problems were behind him and that he could defy the years and improve on his best ever All England Club performances.

Martin said: “My level is better than when I’ve done best here. Unfortunately week in, week out there are a lot of players who are playing at a higher level than that.”

Martin plays the rapidly improving German ninth seed Rainer Schuettler in the next round.

Schuettler, who has built on his shock appearance in this year’s Australian Open final, overcame Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 6-2 6-3 6-3.

Thailand’s 12th seed Paradorn Srichaphan came back from two sets down to win a Court Two epic against Olivier Mutis 4-6 1-6 7-6 7-5 7-5.

Dutch eighth seed Sjeng Schalken had an almighty battle before winning a 6-2 3-6 6-7 7-6 6-3 clash with Ecuador’s former quarter-finalist Nicolas Lapentti as darkness began to fall over Court One.

But 15th seed Arnaud Clement was another man to fall as he lost another five-setter to American Justin Gimelstob 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-1.

French 13th seed Sebastien Grosjean polished off his outstanding first round match against Swede Thomas Enqvist with a hard-fought 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 win.