Ivo Karlovic outlasts Gilles Muller at Hall of Fame

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) Second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Sunday, beating third-seeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (12) in the longest deciding tiebreaker in the Open Era.

The 37-year-old Karlovic lost in the final on Newport's grass courts the past two years. It was his sixth career ATP title.

Muller, 33, was looking for his first career ATP title.

The 6-foot-11 Karlovic won the match when he charged the net and hit a backhander in for the winning point. He raised both arms in triumph, turned and blew kisses to the fans in his player's box behind the baseline.

The Open Era began in 1968, when the Grand Slam events allowed professional players to compete with amateurs.