By Kingsley Elliot Kaye
In the Monday’s night session the clock seemed to have been wound back to the time when Marin Cilic who in 2014 won nine sets in a row and conquered the US Open, brushing aside Berdych, Federer and Nishikori in the three final stages.
The 33-year-old Croatian dominated former number Daniil Medvedev from the first point and never let him off the leash, sealing an emphatic win, 6-2 6-3 6-2. It must be said that Medvedev was often the ghost of himself, and of the player who just two days ago steamrolled Kecmanovic, but Cilic’s performance was flawless in all aspects. He served consistently, mixing up power and placement. He was always moving in immediately to put pressure, particularly with his forehand and keeping the rallies short. His footwork, astounding for such a tall guy, and not the youngest, set up the perfect timing for flowing jests. He constantly caught his opponent off guard with dropshots, taking advantage of Medvedev’s positioning, metres behind the baseline.
“It was an absolutely fantastic match from the first point to the last. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the night session, I played incredible tennis, one of the best (matches) of my career from start to finish,” a delighted Cilic said afterwards.
Coming into this match Cilic had been enjoying a positive year and a likely comeback into the top 20 as well as seeking further glory in Majors. At the Australian Open he had defeated top 10 player, Andrey Rublev, before going down to Aliassime in the fourth round.
Though he had never won in his previous four encounters against Daniil Medvedev, many will remember their last match in the third round at Wimbledon 2021, when he led by two sets before deflating in the distance.
“Against the guys like Daniil you have to be able to sustain such a level. If you give him a chance he’s going to be back and it’s going to be another match. I was very focused to keep going, and I’m pleased with that.” He said.
From the first game Cilic started with excellent serving and enterprising aggression. Targeting shorter points and variations: two dropshots and changes of direction to unsettle Medvedev.
In turn, Medvedev was more willing to lengthen the rallies and elicit errors, aware that Cilic is less of a danger on the stretch.
The match was still quite close in the first four games when suddenly Medvedev blacked out and lost four consecutive games and the set, 6-2.
The first five games of the second set followed serve, but Cilic was scoring more points by keeping up his pressure gameplan.
Cilic earned a break point in the sixth game, on which a tentative dropshot by Medvedev allowed him to unleash a comfortable crosscourt forehand and barge on.
Serving for the set at 5-3 Cilic struck two decisive inside-out forehands, and then an inside-out dropshot, then a first serve to open up the court. Medvedev sprayed a forehand long and wide and found himself two sets down in one hour and 3 minutes.
The script may have reminded them of their last encounter at Wimbledon. But Medvedev seemed drained of physical or mental energy, unable to change stance. He gifted break points in the first game of the third set and on the second one hit a backhand wide. And was trailing once more.
A further streak of unforced errors followed, worsened by sluggish moving, so atypical of the Russian, and in a blink Cilic was ahead 4-0.
In the fifth game Medvedev started hurrying franticly and crossly through points as he often does, when falling prey to frustration. He held serve, though, at least upping his score.
Cilic was untouchable when he served for the match at 5-2 and maintained his cool, pressuring without overdoing. Medvedev kept lunging, too castled behind the baseline to have any chance to overturn the rallies and the result.
A first service nicely sliced out wide opened up the court for the usual forehand and match point. And a crosscourt backhand secured a most significant win.
Cilic was delighted to have reaped such a reward for his commitment to tennis.
“Everything is working well, my serve, my return, my movement. I’m trying to use every day the best I can and the time I spend on the court is most valuable to me. When you are really persistent, really consistent with your training, good things can come.” He said.
Cilic will play Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.
