Novak Djokovic claimed a 4-1 4-3 (7-1) win over Borna Coric in his second match of the day at the Adria Tour in Zadar. Coric earned a break point chance at the start of the match but Djokovic won the deciding point. Djokovic won the deciding point of the second game to get the first break of the match racing out to a 2-0 lead. Coric won the fourth game, before Djokovic served out at love in the fifth game to claim the opening set 4-1.
Coric got his first break of the match in the second game of a tight second set to open up a 2-0 lead. Djokovic broke back in the third game to claw his way back to 1-2. Coric fended off four consecutive break points in the fifth game to force the second set to tie-break. Djokovic cruised through to winning the tie-break 7-1.
“I hope we have satisfied the crowd with our level of play. I think it was a great battle from the beginning. The first three games were decided on a deciding point. A few points here and there went my way and allowed me to take the first set. The second set was really tight. Congratulations to Borna on a great performance. I wish him all the best and thanks to all of you for staying late”, said Djokovic.
Andrey Rublev beat Marin Cilic 4-3 (7-5) 2-4 4-1 in the best match of the day. Cilic fended off two consecutive break points in the third game to force the match to the tie-break. Cilic won two consecutive points at 5-5 to lose the first set 7-5. Cilic got the first break of the match in the fifth game of the second set and served out the next game to force the match to the third set.
Cilic started the third set with a break but Rublev broke straight back. Rublev earned a second consecutive break to claim a tight win.
“I think the level was really great in the first two sets. Both of us played really great and we performed on a high level”, said Marin Cilic.
