By Barry Newcombe Ivo Karlovic v Andy Roddick: First Meeting In the previous 26 Stella Artois championships only two players, John McEnroe and Lleyton Hewitt, have won the title for three years in succession. Andy Roddick intends to join that elite group in today's final. Ivo Karlovic intends to stop him. Roddick now holds a 30-7 record for the year and in terms of the Stella Artois has to look all the way back to the first round in 2001 when he was last beaten at Queen's Club (by the Russian Mikhail Youzhny). Karlovic, 26, is making his first appearance in a final in 48 ATP tour level events. Roddick has to be counted in the top three in the world on grass after winning here twice and making the last four and then the final at Wimbledon in the past two years. And now he has the chance to stand alongside McEnroe and Hewitt at the Stella Artois--"That would be huge, "he says. "I came in here a couple of years ago not ever having played that well on grass. To be going for a third, that's great. To join names like that (McEnroe and Hewitt) is pretty cool, too. " Karlovic first played singles on grass in this tournament in 2002. In three years he won three matches. This time came the breakthrough. "I like grass, "he says, "because it suits my game. With my serve I always have an advantage and it's easier than rallying from the baseline." Apart from standing 6ft 10ins and wearing size 14 shoes, which makes him the tallest player ever to be ranked in the top 100, Karlovic gained instant fame when he defeated the defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round at Wimbledon in 2003. He had come through the qualifying tournament, with a heavy beard, and was thus dubbed the bearded giant. But he was clean shaven by the time he faced Hewitt and overcame the considerable challenge the champion presented. Only a couple of weeks earlier Karlovic had been fined around ￡2000 for breaking the rules at Surbiton. His coach had to persuade him to try to qualify for the Stella Artois. He did. So that was a big turning point as well. Karlovic, like that great favourite Goran Ivanisevic, is a Croatian and if they run into each other before the final Karlovic might seek a little guidance on what lies ahead in the final. Because few know the demands as well as Goran. Certainly Karlovic faces an uphill struggle. But he has not lost a tie break here(he has played five)and if he is classed as an underdog he knows how to bite. "It's going to be a lot of serving, "says Roddick, "and then there's going to be a couple of moments here and there that are going to be extremely tense. You have to be there and stay the course and be mentally ready if you do get a chance and try to take it." Roddick knows the territory at the Stella Artois extremely well. Victory today would give him another focal point in his career and, unquestionably, he is well equipped to win. The fascination will be in seeing whether Karlovic and his unique combination of physique and skills worry him. Verdict: Roddick to lift the Stella Artois trophy for the third time ===================== AR三连霸吧!!!! -- http://0rz.net/5e0p9 Marion Raven (M2M) --

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