Seventh seed Marin Cilic fended off a stern opening round test from former Top 15 player Jerzy Janowicz on Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, rallying from two sets down to prevail 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 on Show Court 2. Both players produced an extraordinarily high level of tennis in the first two sets, with Janowicz hitting 23 winners and just nine unforced errors, while Cilic struck 27 winners and only 15 unforced errors. The Polish player required just a single break of serve late in each set to take a commanding two-sets lead. But while Cilic was able to keep up his top form, Janowicz saw his level drop slightly. Cilic took full advantage of the opening,...
It must be nice to end a season and see your career-best ranking next to your name. Hello, Marin Cilic. Hello, No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The 6’6” Croatian had a breakout season back in 2014, winning the US Open and three ATP World Tour titles while compiling a 54-21 record. This year, he went 49-24 and won two ATP World Tour crowns, including his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. But in many ways, for Cilic, the past 12 months have been a more impressive body of work than his 2014. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Cilic’s booming first serve identifies it as the centerpiece of his powerful game, with opponents...
CROATIA 2, ARGENTINA 1 Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Davis Cup Final Croatia is one win from claiming their second Davis Cup crown after Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig provided the heroics in Saturday's doubles rubber. In front of a sold out Arena Zagreb in the Croatian capital, Cilic and Dodig defeated Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 6-3 to put the host nation ahead 2-1 after Day 2 of competition. Dodig, No. 13 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings, led the charge in claiming his fifth straight Davis Cup doubles rubber since 2015. He has won three in a row this year with Cilic. “This is a once in a lifetime experience and I have to thank...
CROATIA 1, ARGENTINA 1 Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Davis Cup Final Croatia, the 2005 champion, is level with four-time former finalist Argentina at 1-1 on Friday in the Davis Cup final at the Arena Zagreb. Argentina has previously defeated Croatia in quarter-final ties in 2002, 2006 and 2013. Marin Cilic handed Croatia the early lead when he used his big-match experience to beat Argentina’s Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-2 in three hours and 30 minutes. Cilic, who improved to a 49-23 record on the season, won 77 per cent of his first service points and struck 17 aces. World No. 41 Delbonis, who had recovered from 0-2 sets deficit against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in last year’s quarter-finals, hit...
CROATIA vs. ARGENTINA Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia DAVIS CUP FINAL Croatia attempts to clinch its second Davis Cup trophy this week on home soil against Argentina, finalists on four previous occasions. Argentina has secured wins in 2002, 2006 and 2013 quarter-final ties. Marin Cilic, who competed at last week’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and finished at a career-high year-end No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, leads the Croatian team. Ivo Karlovic, at 37 years of age, is set to become the oldest player to feature in a singles rubber in a final tie for 96 years (43-year-old Australian Norman Brookes in 1920). Cilic takes on Argentina’s Federico Delbonis in Friday’s opening singles rubber, while Karlovic returns to the...