Oct 6, 2008 - 2:44 PM
0 shoutsVIENNA, Austria (Ticker) -- Ivo Karlovic continued to have trouble against former No. 1 players from Spain.
The fourth-seeded Croat was upset, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), by Juan Carlos Ferrero in one of six opening-round matches on Monday at the Bank Austria-Tennis Trophy.
It marked the second straight loss for the 14th-ranked Karlovic, who also was upset by 31-year-old Spaniard Carlos Moya in the second round at Metz last week.
Both Ferrero and Moya are are former No. 1 players and neither has ever lost to Karlovic. Moya owns a 4-0 mark against the 29-year-old while Ferrero improved to 2-0 with Monday's triumph.
Karlovic drilled 17 aces in the match, upping his ATP-leading total to 865, but Ferrero was equally effective on his first serve, winning 42-of-49 points.
Additionally, the 28-year-old saved both break points forced by Karlovic, whose year has been highlighted by a title at Nottingham and a win over then-No. 1 Roger Federer in Cincinnati.
A finalist at this tournament three years ago, Ferrero could face another Croat in the second round. Ivan Ljubicic, the 2005 and 2006 champion, will meet Austria's Jurgen Melzer for the right to face the former French Open champion.
Another former champion already is through to the second round as unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez outlasted Argentina's Augustin Calleri, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4).
Guillermo Canas, who lost the 2004 final to Lopez, also advanced to set up a meeting with fifth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.
Moya moved through to the second round as well, topping Germany's Michael Berrer, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6), in the final match of the day.
Czech qualifier Jan Hernych rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), triumph over Croatia's Roko Karanusic and could face top-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland next.
World No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who defeated Wawrinka in the championship last season, is not entered.
First prize is just over $187,000.
