Best Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić is in the Basel ATP tournament final, defeating German Mischa Zverev with 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 after two hours and 10 minutes of play
Čilić gained his third victory in as many matches against Zverev after lingering on the edge of defeat. The German won the first set 6-4 and at 4-4 in the second set had three connected break points and at 5-5 another chance to take the service from Čilić, as Jutarnji List wrote on October 29, 2016.
The only break in the first set occurred in the fifth game when Zverev managed to connect several good points on Čilić’s service. Our best player made 87 percent of serves in the first part of the game, lost only six points in five service-games, but four happened in that one game. On the other hand, he never managed to threaten the opponent’s service.
At 4-4 in the second set Čilić fell into a 0-40 hole which he climbed out of with a service-winner, ace and a great backhand on the net. A great passing saved him in the 11th game until he finally secured his first break point at 6-5 which he took advantage of with another passing.
After he played through another break point by Zverev at 2-2 in the third set, when the German helped with his own error, Čilić climbed to 0-40 in the next game. But, then he missed a return and then a passing so the German got away. Still, at 4-3 Čilić gained another 0-40 with two excellent winners and then used that chance to get a break. When serving for the match out representative was faced with another break point by the German, but saved it with a nice play on the net.
By entering the Basel finals Čilić increased his odds at being placed in the Masters in London, to be played from November 13-20, with two places available.
In the finals Čilić will play Japanese Kei Nishikori who overpowered Luxembourger Giller Muller with 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3, saving two match point.
Čilić and Nishikori have met 11 times, with the win ratio 7-4 in favour of the Japanese.
