By Kingsley Elliot Kaye
When he brushed aside Daniil Medvedev three days ago, Marin Cilic played a perfect match. Some wondered if he could sustain such pinnacles over a longer time and against a grittier opponent. There came a staggering answer on Wednesday afternoon when after four hours of an extenuating battle he triumphed over the best ever Rublev in five sets, 5-7 6-3 6-4 3-6 -7-6. His super tiebreak, in which he struck 7 winners and 3 aces, is also due to long remain in the history books.
“What a battle.” said Cilic. “It was really close at the end, the fifth set. It was a very mentally and physically difficult match, and I would say high quality from both of us.”
From the start Cilic was hammering serves, employing his outstanding footwork to run around the backhand and hit his powerful inside-out forehand to Rublev’s backhand, to open cracks in the Russian’s defence, and avoid being trapped in long rallies.
Both players comfortably held serve in the first six games. Rublev earned the first two break points in the seventh game, but Cilic saved them with an ace and a forehand winner and held on.
Rublev started succeeding in lengthening the rallies, eliciting unforced errors. He missed other two break points in the nineth game and finally snatched the break in the eleventh, when the Croatian’s serve suddenly went blunt. Rublev served the set out 7-5.
At the start of the second set Cilic unsettled Rublev by blitzing to the net and taking off pace with dropshots. He gained an early break, which was enough to cruise away. His first service was about to jam and he wasted five set points before nailing a 6-3 to get even.
Rublev’s barricades on his backhand wing crumbled midway in the third set. He lost service in the seventh game and nervously started misfiring also off his forehand. Cilic took the set with a surgical 6-4.
Cilic suddenly seemed to tire in the fourth set and the Russian was able to swing the momentum round by advancing his position and stealing pressure. He broke in the eighth game and then a few minutes later it was 6-3 and the match headed into a decider.
The contest couldn’t be tighter, with both players battling away. Winners were pouring from both sides. At 5-4 Cilic rose to match point with a forehand winner. But in this occasion he was let down by his forehand and then Rublev came up with some excellent serving to hold.
In turn Cilic saved a break point in the eleventh game with a thundering ace and the public roared when he reached the super tiebreak.
And that was the Croatian’s masterpiece. He started with an ace. Then Rublev held his two serves, without imagining they would be his last points of the match. Cilic pounded two forehand winners and then two backhand returns for a 5-2 lead. A forehand winner and an ace, 7-2. A foray to the net and a forehand down the line, 9-2. Rublev dumped a dejected backhand in the net and it was over.
“I’m feeling great on the court, enjoying myself, being me, playing my own game. It’s paying off, and I’m enjoying the run. And, if I’m finding good form, good things are always happening.” Cilic said, clearly exhausted but smiles breaking out.
