The best Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić overpowered for the first time in his career Serbian Novak Đoković in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 series tour in Paris with 6-4, 7-6 (2)
This was their 15th duel, with the 28-year-old form Međugorje confirming he is on top of his game at the end of this season. The win against Đoković secured his best career ranking, at least seventh from Monday on the ATP scale, HINA reported on November 4, 2016.
Čilić started the match in great spirit taking Đoković’s service at 2-0, only to lose the advantage in the next game. In the seventh game Čilić had to save a break point after being up 40-15. In the next point Čilić made a double service error and Đoković gained a break point, but Čilić did not lose his concentration to save the situation. The key to winning the first set was the 10th game when Čilić made several great returns to take Đoković’s service for the second time for 6-4.
The second set almost began as the first as Čilić had two break points at 1-0, but then Đoković hit two excellent first services. A similar situation happened at 2-2 when Đoković went up 15-40 on Čilić’s serve, but Marin hit two service winners.
It was all just an opening of a dramatic finish of the second set which saw Đoković gain an advantage with a break for 5-4 in a game where Čilić won no points. But when the first-seeded player served to even the match he unexpectedly collapsed. At 15-30 Đoković made two double service errors in a row, which were his first two such mistakes in the match so the score was even at 5-5. After Čilić calmly guarded his service at 6-5 he also had two match points in the 12th game. But Đoković came out a winner so the match went into the tie-break. The first mini-break was made by Đoković by winning the first point in the deciding game, but Čilić returned with two consecutive mini-breaks after which he won two points for 4-1. After Čilić won another point against Đoković’s serve to lead 5-2, he kept his calm and with two excellent points on his service gained a mighty victory.
In the semi-finals Čilić will play American John Isner, who was better than his fellow national Jack Sock with 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4. Čilić and Isner have met six times so far and all six times Čilić was better.
