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Croatian set for his first event since a second-round loss at Wimbledon
Marin Cilic arrived at Wimbledon with plenty of momentum. The third seed, the Croat was fresh off an impressive victory at the Fever-Tree Championships. Already reaching the Australian Open final, where he lost in a courageous five-set battle, it appeared he was primed for another deep run.

But it was not to be, as Cilic lost a two-set lead against Argentine Guido Pella, faltering in the second round for the first time at SW19 since 2013.

“It’s the sport. You have to always be ready every single day for anything that comes at you. Obviously I was feeling that I was in great form. I played well, I won Queen’s, playing great matches,” Cilic said. “My expectations were big. And I felt that I was playing really good. On the day that I lost, it was just one of the days that I was not playing well... I feel that maybe in the past two years, that was one of the days that was maybe the worst in my own performance.”

Cilic was clear that he wanted no credit taken away from Pella, but that he understood those types of performances are bound to happen. At last year’s US Open, he was ousted in the third round. But that didn’t stop him from refocusing to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals.


“It’s still another thing that you have to deal with, especially at those big events,” Cilic said. “You also have to control your emotions, get to know yourself more and be ready for those kinds of things. Nothing comes for granted, and you have to earn it every single day.”

It’s that day-in, day-out mentality that has made the 29-year-old one of the most reliable players on the ATP World Tour in recent years. He has not been outside of the Top 15 in the ATP Rankings since he won his lone Grand Slam championship at the 2014 US Open.

“I feel that with my consistency with my game, I’ve kept myself improving the past couple of years, always finding some more things that I could improve, that I could look into a bit more,” Cilic said. “I feel that new chances are going to come up and that I’m getting closer to winning some more Grand Slams.”

But Cilic’s focus is completely on the task at hand. For him, that is this week’s Rogers Cup in Toronto. With the quick conditions on the Canadian hard courts, the sixth seed believes he needs to look to control points, starting with his second-round match against compatriot Borna Coric or Vasek Pospisil.

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“The guys who are going to be serving well and being able to control the ball from the rallies are going to be able to play well. We might see some good movers around the court also doing well, as it’s not so comfortable to hit through the guys,” Cilic said. “I feel I’ve been serving quite good in the practices. Hopefully I can keep it up in the matches as well. It’s quick conditions, so you have to be aggressive.”

Cilic has not fared particularly well at the Rogers Cup, reaching the quarter-finals just once, on debut in 2008. But he knows the importance of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, and is excited to get started.

“They are big tournaments. I’m also peaking my form to play well at these. You have to take every single week as seriously as you can,” Cilic said. “These weeks are extremely important also for my game and the confidence. I’m definitely going to peak my form for these tournaments here and try to play the best I can.”

Second seed going for his fourth Masters 1000 title
The last time Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev met at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, Zverev claimed a tight three-setter that was decided in the final-set tie-break at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

But Zverev, as he showed on Thursday at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, is a different player than he was in March. The World No. 3 and defending champion routed Medvedev on Thursday afternoon, claiming 96 per cent of his first-serve points (22/23) and beating the Russian qualifier 6-3, 6-2 in only 53 minutes.

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The 21-year-old Zverev is through to his fifth Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season and will meet Greece's #NextGenATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas, who upset four-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 earlier Thursday.

It will be a rematch of last week's Citi Open semi-final, their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, which Zverev won 6-2, 6-4 en route to his second Citi Open crown.

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Zverev won his tour-leading 43rd match of the year in Toronto, and he dominated from first toss to last service winner. He dropped only four points overall on his serve (90 per cent, 36/40), and won all three break points he saw. He added 20 winners to only nine unforced errors.

Medvedev was looking for his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final. The Sydney International champion worked past midnight on Wednesday to beat #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7) in two hours, 36 minutes.

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Sixth seed Marin Cilic continued to rebound from his discouraging second-round loss at Wimbledon (l. to Pella). The Croatian gained revenge against Argentine Diego Schwartzman, dropping only five points on his first serve (83%, 24/29) and advancing to the quarter-finals 6-3, 6-2.

Schwartzman beat Cilic at the 2017 US Open. Cilic is looking to win his second Masters 1000 title on hard courts after winning the 2016 Western & Southern Open.

Did You Know?
Zverev is defending 1,000 ATP Rankings points at the Rogers Cup. He successfully defended 500 ATP Rankings points last week by winning the Citi Open for the second consecutive year.

Croatian looks back on his breakthrough Masters 1000 triumph in Cincinnati two years ago
World No. 7 Marin Cilic joined Stan Wawrinka as the only two players outside the Big Four to have won a Grand Slam singles title and an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title with his triumph at the 2016 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Here, he discusses his greatest Masters 1000 memories.

What is your favourite Masters 1000 tournament, host city and why?
Probably Cincinnati as I won it there. I had a great time in 2016. I loved it and it was definitely a great time, playing-wise. I definitely enjoy most of them, they’re always at the top of our tennis. I also enjoy Indian Wells, always sunny, always quite nice weather when in Europe it’s quite cold.

Favourite off-court memory from a Masters 1000?
Cincinnati, having that great ice cream over there. They have unbelievable ice cream.

Do you remember your Masters 1000 debut, when was it and where?
My debut was probably in 2008 at Indian Wells. I don’t know if I lost to, maybe Ivan Ljubibic [losing 7-6(7), 7-5].

Best Masters 1000 win?
There are two. Andy Murray in Cincinnati [6-4, 7-5] and Novak [Djokovic, 6-4, 7-6(2)] as well in Paris Bercy [the Rolex Paris Masters in 2016].

Toughest match you’ve played at a Masters 1000?
I don’t know. Maybe I would put a match with Rafa last year in Shanghai [lost 7-5, 7-6(3)] as maybe one of the toughest ones.

Toughest aspect of playing a Masters 1000?
I think as the draw is always so crowded, every match is a tough one, so you have to be ready from the first point. You can have very, very tough opponents from the first round and matches are best-of-three sets, so everything can happen in those kind of conditions and definitely it’s very difficult to win those.

Dream Masters 1000, opponent and stage?
Any Masters 1000, to win a final against the top guys, either Rafa, Roger, Novak, Andy. It doesn’t matter.

Greatest match you’ve ever seen at a Masters 1000?
I would say maybe Rafa and Roger on clay either Monte Carlo [the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters] or Rome [the Internazionali BNL d'Italia]. They were [epic] especially at a younger age, Rafa was just relentless on clay. He played such amazing tennis and always had great runs on clay and those matches with Federer were always extremely entertaining and very exciting to watch.

Croatian to face Djokovic or Raonic in semi-finals
Marin Cilic is quietly advancing through the draw at the Western & Southern Open, where he won his lone ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title two years ago.

After beating Toronto semi-finalist Karen Khachanov earlier Friday, Cilic returned to defeat 13th seed Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6(7), 6-4 in one hour, 44 minutes.

"Big win against Khachanov in the morning, and it was tough. He was serving big, hitting big. There were not many chances. I broke him only the last game, so definitely difficult battle," Cilic said. "In the afternoon, I felt that I played the best match of the week and started great."

This year’s Fever-Tree Championships winner is rounding into some of his best form, which is a scary sign for the field. The 2014 US Open champion has won 14 of his 18 tour-level titles on hard courts, and his aggressive, baseline-hugging game presents an obstacle for any opponent on this surface. The seventh seed will next face five-time finalist Novak Djokovic, who leads Cilic 14-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. However, the Croatian beat the Serbian to triumph at The Queen's Club.

"Novak is playing really well. I just watched the end of his match, and the level was definitely high and he's definitely in really good form," Cilic said. "We played a tough match in Queen's, but that's grass and definitely different. So I have to get ready and give [it a] full shot."

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It appeared Cilic let slip a golden opportunity to take the first set when he had a 6/3 lead in the tie-break, dropping four consecutive points as he tightened up on the forehand wing. But Carreno Busta missed a crosscourt forehand long on his lone set point, and Cilic took full advantage.

The Monte-Carlo resident did well to stay on top of the baseline in the second set, forcing the Spaniard to beat him from unfavourable positions on the court. And after earning his third break of the match at 3-3, he dominated on serve, holding to 15 in his next two service games to close out the victory.

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Carreno Busta was a formidable hard-court opponent for Cilic, reaching the semi-finals at last year's US Open while also advancing to the last four this season at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

"He was feeling the ball great, moving well, not missing much," Cilic said. "It was a big first set, definitely. I think it decided the outcome in the end, and I'm really pleased with the win."

Did You Know?
Cilic has now won nine consecutive matches in Cincinnati. The 2016 champion missed the event last year due to an abductor injury.

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More Stories Like This In: Cincinnati Match Report Masters 1000 Marin Cilic 2018

Just thirteen days after a three-set battle at the Western & Southern Open, 2014 champion Marin Cilic once again overcame a tough start against Marius Copil to reach the US Open second round.

Cilic, eager to advance beyond the third round for the first time in three years, was leading 7-5, 6-1, 1-1 when Copil was forced to retire after struggling with his movement. Cilic saved five set points in the opening set, winning 11 consecutive games from 1-5 (0-40) down to take control of the match.

Cilic improves to 30-8 matches at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and will next face #NextGenATP Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the second round. Hurkacz, currently ninth in the ATP Race to Milan, was leading Stefano Travaglia 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(6), 3-0 when the Italian retired due to cramps.

Hurkacz earned his second match win in a Grand Slam, after emerging victorious on debut at Roland Garros earlier this year. There, he also met Cilic in the second round, falling in four tight sets.

Sofia finalist Copil started quickly, breaking Cilic's serve on two occasions before manufacturing three set points in the seventh game. But Cilic responded emphatically, recovering from 1-5 (0/40) down to win six straight games, saving a total of five set points, to snatch a one-set lead.

Following the disappointment of failing to convert five set points from such a dominant position, Copil was unable to halt the momentum early in the second set. Cilic broke at the first opportunity and soon raced to a two-set lead, hitting 11 winners in the second set to edge closer to victory. Cilic won 11 straight games from 1-5 (0/40) to 7-5, 5-0.

After early service holds in the third set, Copil, who required treatment on his upper left leg in the previous set, could no longer continue. The Romanian shook hands with Cilic after dropping his opening two service points.

Copil was bidding to record his first US Open victory on his second main-draw appearance, but falls to 1-9 in Grand Slam encounters. Last month, the 27-year-old pushed Andy Murray to a final-set tie-break in the Round of 16 at the Citi Open.

Did You Know?
Marin Cilic has won at least one ATP World Tour title in each of the past 11 seasons. The 29-year-old extended his title streak earlier this year at the Fever-Tree Championships, saving a championship point en route to a three-set win over Novak Djokovic in the final.