Defending Delray Beach champ Karlovic out in 1st round

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) Defending champion and third seed Ivo Karlovic was ousted in the first round of the Delray Beach Open by qualifier John-Patrick Smith of Australia 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Monday night.

The 36-year-old Karlovic, ranked No. 28, has been hampered by a left knee injury and retired from his first-round match at the Australian Open last month. This was his first match since and he was admittedly rusty.

Playing with wind whipping through his shirt and his strokes, the 6-foot-11-inch Croat served 21 aces but also hit 11 double faults, including four in the crucial fourth game of the third set when he dropped his serve.

Earlier, fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov persevered through a four-hour rain delay and wind gusts greater than 30 mph to defeat Israeli Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-2 and reach the second round.