Karlovic, 40, beats Lopez in oldest match

Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic became the first man in his 40s to compete in a Grand Slam singles match for 27 years when he beat fellow veteran Feliciano Lopez at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Karlovic, who turned 40 in February, won 7-6(4) 7-5 6-7(7) 7-5 against the 37-year-old Spaniard in the oldest French Open men’s match-up in terms of combined ages in the professional era.

The last player to contest a Grand Slam singles match having turned 40 was American Jimmy Connors at the U.S. Open in 1992.

Karlovic, well used to setting records for longevity everywhere he travels, is also the oldest man to compete at the French Open since 41-year-old Istvan Gulyas in 1973.

Elsewhere, it was a mixed day for British players. Cameron Norrie suffered a hugely disappointing straight-sets loss to French qualifier Elliot Benchetrit in the first round.

Norrie, who has climbed into the world’s top 50 this year, looked to have a kind draw against the world number 273 but, while Benchetrit was inspired in front of his home crowd, the British number two was off colour from the start.

Kyle Edmund fared substantially better, though, as he returned to Court One to complete a 7-6 (7/1) 5-7 6-4 4-6 7-5 victory over Jeremy Chardy.

The pair had been forced off court by the fading light on Monday night at 5-5 in the deciding set and Edmund needed just seven minutes and 10 points to end the contest.

The result snapped a five-match losing streak for the British number one dating back to early April. He faces tricky Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas next.

Dan Evans was unable to join Edmund in the second round despite making a very good fist of a tough draw against 23rd seed Fernando Verdasco.

Clay is by far Evans’ weakest surface and he had lost first round on both of his previous visits to Roland Garros while Spaniard Verdasco has made the fourth round on seven occasions.

Evans matched him for most of the three-hour-and-25-minute encounter before feeling the pace in the fourth set, where he received treatment to his right calf, and eventually going down 6-3 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-2.

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