Marin Čilić will play in the quarterfinal of Roland Garros for the second consecutive year.
Croatia’s best singles tennis player Marin Čilić plunged into the quarterfinal of Roland Garros after finishing off Italian Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in the round of 16, reports Gol.hr on June 4, 2018.
In the first two sets, Čilić played great tennis and seemed he would win the match in just three. However, drama and a Fognini comeback brought an unexpected turn, and the game ended after five sets, or 3 hours and 41 minutes of play.
Čilić went into the match with power and with an early break, he led 3-0. Fognini managed to come back, though it did not rattle Čilić, and with a 5-4 lead, he took his opponent's service for the second time to win the set.
The second set saw Čilić lead 6-1, though Fognini complained of injury and received medical help.
When it seemed Čilić would finish the match in three sets, Fognini unexpectedly managed to come back with two breaks to win the third. Fognini continued with great play in the fourth, but despite the Italians effort, Čilić lead 5-4 on his opponent's serve for a match point. Unfortunately, Čilić could not capitalize, and Fognini set the tie-break for 2-2 in sets.
Čilić managed to get it back together in the decisive final set, and with two breaks he advanced to the quarterfinal of Roland Garros for the second consecutive year.
This was the fourth match between Čilić and Fognini, with the Croatian tennis player leading 3-1 in duels. Fognini celebrated their first match in Monte Carlo in 2009, while Čilić won in Umag and Beijing two years later.
In the quarterfinal, Čilić awaits Argentinian player Juan Martin Del Potro, who defeated American John Isner with 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Del Potro has ten wins on the Croatian player while Čilić has only triumphed twice, in2010 at the Australian Open and 2011 in Toronto.
Mate Pavić and Ivan Dodig have also continued their success at Roland Garros with their mixed doubles partners. Pavić and Dabrowski will play in the semifinal on Tuesday at 13:35, while Dodig's date has yet to be set. Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić will also both play in the men's doubles quarterfinal with their pairs - while Mektić plays tomorrow, Pavić still awaits his date.
