Karlovic To Defend Title Against Verdasco

Croatian Ivo Karlovic will defend his Nottingham Open title against Spaniard Fernando Verdasco after both men won their semi-finals in straight sets on Friday.

Karlovic beat French Open semi-finalist Gael Monfils 7-6 7-6, winning both tiebreaks 7-4, while the third-seeded Verdasco got to his first grasscourt final by defeating Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour.

Tournament debutant Verdasco, ranked 21 in the world, broke serve at 3-2 in the first set and allowed his 19-year-old opponent to win just two more games.

After serving for the first set, Verdasco won four straight games at the start of the second to put the match beyond the reach of the unseeded Croatian.

"I had a lot of respect (for him) before the match and that is why I did not relax in all the match," the Spaniard told reporters. "I was 5-1 (up) and I kept trying to break him."

Karlovic broke Monfils in the first game of the match but the Frenchman broke back to level the score at 4-4 and take the set into a tiebreak.

Monfils took the lead in the second set, breaking at 2-2 but Karlovic fought back at 5-4, with Monfils serving for the set, striking a powerful forehand return to level the score at 5-5.

Karlovic raced to a 4-0 lead in the second-set tiebreak, forcing Monfils into errors as he tried to cope with the 2.08-metre Croatian's big serve.

"I'm pleased that I'm in the final and also with the way I was playing I was pretty happy," Karlovic said.