Andy Murray vs. Ivo Karlovic: Score and Reaction from 2016 French Open

After struggling through the first two rounds of the 2016 French Open, second-seeded Andy Murray made a statement Friday with a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory over No. 27 Ivo Karlovic in the third round at Roland Garros.

Murray needed five sets to dispatch Radek Stepanek and Mathias Bourgue in the first and second rounds, respectively, but he made quick work of the 6’11” Karlovic in one hour and 56 minutes.

While Murray entered the match having never lost to Karlovic, the Croatian veteran has challenged him often over the years, according to Live Tennis:

It’s a 6-0 H2H in #Murray’s favour. But #Karlovic has taken him beyond straight sets in four of these encounters. pic.twitter.com/5OmBkHx4zg

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) May 27, 2016

Although Murray has been inconsistent lately, he looked like a different player early in Friday’s match, as he aggressively went after Karlovic and imposed his will in the opening set.

That was apparent during Karlovic’s first service game, as the Scot broke him by virtue of a risky shot, per BBC’s David Law:

Statement. Murray hits a clean winner backhand lob over the head of 6’10” Ivo Karlovic to break in his first service game. 2-0. #RG16

— DavidLaw (@DavidLawTennis) May 27, 2016

Murray broke each of Karlovic’s first two service games and cruised to a 6-1 set win in just 25 minutes. According to ESPN Tennis, the 37-year-old was nearly unstoppable on serve prior to Friday’s match:

Karlovic, who was broken twice total in first two matches, drops first two service games as Murray claims the opening set 6-1. …

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