Bogota, Colombia – Ivo Karlovic reached his eighth career ATP World Tour final by knocking off second-seeded South African Kevin Anderson in the semifinals of the Claro Open Colombia tennis event.
Karlovic battled through a 1-hour and 58-minute affair, with the Croatian ousting Anderson in a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 decision on the hard courts at Centro de Alto Rendimiento.
It's been a long way back for the 34-year-old, having been sidelined for 2 1/2 months with viral meningitis before returning to tennis last week in Newport. He will go for his first ATP title since capturing Nottingham in 2008.
Alejandro Falla will be his opponent in the final after the Colombian came back to defeat Canadian Vasek Pospisil in 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4 fashion.
The 29-year-old ousted top-seeded Janko Tipsarevic on Friday in quarterfinal action and will be the first Colombian to compete in an ATP World Tour final since Santiago Giraldo in Santiago in February 2011.
The winner of this inaugural $638,000 tournament will earn $115,200.
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