By Andrew Jones | Saturday, February 17, 2018
NEW YORK—A large majority of casual tennis fans may just know Ivo Karlovic as the tallest man with one of the biggest, unstoppable serves ever.
But deep inside the Croatian giant contains a colorful, candid and pensive personality who isn't afraid to express what is on his mind.
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During the New York Open this week at the Nassau Coliseum, Karlovic was one of millions across the country and around the world devastated by the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
And he did not waste time displaying how crestfallen he was by the awful incident, retweeting thoughts and news requesting for action after America's latest gun rampage.
Karlovic, who lives around the high school in Parkland, Florida, shared his sympathies to Tennis Now about the tragedy and hopes his young child won't ever experience a day like that.
"I mean, it's unbelievable," Karlovic said. "Because I live over there and I have a lot of friends that were actually going in that school. It's a tragic event. The whole day, I was watching the news because my daughter lives here in the US. And she is going to go to school and it's just horrible. Hopefully there will be some changes with how it is."
Andrew Jones is a Brooklyn-based tennis writer covering the New York Open for Tennis Now. Please follow Andrew on Twitter.