WIMBLEDON:IVO KARLOVIC was seething in the wake of his 7-5, 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 defeat to local favourite Andy Murray in respect of the number of times he was called for foot faults during the contest. By his calculation, it was on 11 occasions and he launched an astonishing attack on the integrity of the tournament, suggesting he was the victim of a conspiracy.
The 6ft 10in Croatian said: “Foot-faults. I don’t know what to say, but it was a little bit outrageous. In my whole life, ever since I was eight years old, whole life I didn’t do this many foot-faults. It was like 11.
“It was never called when it was like 30-0 or 40-0. It was always when it was 30-30 or in a tiebreak. I mean, what is this? Is it Davis Cup or is it Wimbledon? After this match, the whole credibility of this tournament went down for me. ”
He purposely stood back from the line but was still pulled up.
He continued: “After I don’t know how many, I stand a little bit back so they cannot call. They still did it . . . called. So it was outrageous, outrageous.
“It’s Wimbledon, Centre court, and they do this. I mean, this is BS (bullshit). In my whole life I didn’t do 11.
“I had a chance definitely, definitely. But this 11 foot-faults, it cannot go unwritten because this is outrageous.
“I feel cheated.”
Karlovic went on to suggest there was a bias against him because everyone wanted Murray to win. When asked whether he would go and look at a recording of the match, he said: “Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Right now I’m angry about it, little bit pissed, because I don’t expect it here.
“Even though it is against an English (Murray is actually Scottish) guy who they always want to win; but I don’t expect it here.”
When asked did he think they were biased? Karlovic replied: “Definitely.”
The Croat had better hope there is some vindication of his complaints in the footage because otherwise he’s likely to find himself in serious trouble.
Murray followed him into the interview room and was asked for his opinion on the topic.
“There were a lot of foot faults in the match. (It is) impossible for me to say whether they were foot faults or not. You can only look on the TV. And if he wasn’t foot- faulting then he has a right to be upset, because there were a lot of them.
“But if he was, then you can’t do it. It’s not allowed. I can’t really comment on it unless I see it. I don’t know what they were saying on the TV. They must have had some pretty clear images of it.”
The All England club declined to comment on the issue last night but that’s a situation that will alter if the television pictures substantiate the calls that were made by the lines-people in the match.
When he calms down Karlovic will be hoping the end result is not a case of foot-in-mouth.
