It is not often that a match between two players with a combined
ranking close to 250 excites attention, but the Battle of the Beasts
promises to be a humdinger as Max Mirnyi, with a ranking of 43,
trades blows with the Qualifier of the Year, 203-ranked Ivo Karlovic.

Mirnyi is the proud holder of the nickname Beast of Belarus and
jealous to guard it against all comers, particularly those who make
his size 14 shoes and 6ft 5in stature appear puny. Karlovic, his 6ft
10in frame held up by size 15 feet, will be bidding to make Mirnyi
look up to him in every sense.

The Croatian came into Wimbledon as a 500-1 bet, but the folk back
home in Zagreb have crowned him King Karlo the Great and probably
installed him as tournament favourite after what another Croatian, a
certain Goran Ivanisevic, did two years back as a wild card. The
Beasts will stage their earth-shaking battle on Court 13.