Cilic Crashes Out Of Shanghai, Dimitrov Wins; Murray On Tap Tuesday

by Staff | October 6th, 2014, 3:53 pm
  • 15 Comments

Marin Cilic’s Shanghai campaign didn’t last long. The US Open champion was bounced by Ivo Karlovic in a tight 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(2) victory in the first round at the Rolex Masters.

“It’s a gamble with him,” said Cilic. “He goes all in or nothing. It’s always difficult. He was serving really well towards the end of the match. I couldn’t get into his serve. It can happen with Ivo. It’s always tricky.

“The game, I’m feeling it’s on the spot. Though I lost today, it’s unfortunate, bad luck, but I’m going with positive energy into the next weeks to finish the season well.”


After winning 10 straight matches, Cilic has now lost his last two.

Cilic moved down to sixth in the ATP’s Race to London, but thanks to his Grand Slam win he’s all but assured a spot in the 8-man year-end field.

Still hunting for a London berth is Grigor Dimitrov, and the Bulgarian improved his chances beating Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-3.

Richard Gasquet, John Isner, Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock, who beat Bernard Tomic, were among the other winners.

On Tuesday, Andy Murray opens play against Gabashvili. The top seeds Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are expected to be in action on Wednesday.

TUESDAY SHANGHAI SCHEDULE
STADIUM start 1:00 pm
M Youzhny (RUS) vs [12] E Gulbis (LAT)
V Pospisil (CAN) vs S Giraldo (COL)

6:30 pm
[11] A Murray (GBR) vs [Q] T Gabashvili (RUS)

Not Before 8:00 pm
L Mayer (ARG) vs [WC] D Wu (CHN)

GRANDSTAND start 1:00 pm
G Simon (FRA) vs G Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
[15] F Fognini (ITA) vs [WC] C Wang (CHN)
E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs J Janowicz (POL)

Not Before 6:30 pm
M Kukushkin (KAZ) vs [16] K Anderson (RSA)


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15 Comments for Cilic Crashes Out Of Shanghai, Dimitrov Wins; Murray On Tap Tuesday

TennisVagabond.com Says:

Everyone always says anyone can lose to Dr Ivo, but its not true: the Big Four don’t lose to Dr Ivo.
Cilic should be at a level where he doesn’t lose to Dr Ivo. Obviously he was not playing the tennis that won him the USO.
I said at the time that I’d take Kei’s future chances over Marin’s, just based on the fact that Kei had been consistently challenging top players for the last year, while Marin came much more out of nowhere, and, as a newfound power player it seemed much more a case of a hot streak than a new standard-level-of-play for him. Its still too early, and I would love to see Marin continue to challenge the top players, but I would not be surprised if he falls back to top 16 level.


Steve 27 Says:

Cilic is 3 years younger than Wawrinka, so he can improve his level and can be in the top 10 for a long time if he is focused enough.
He can pursue to be the best crotian tennis player of all time.
Hajde!


Colin Says:

Not Andy’s finest hour. Of course he did some good things, but at times in the second set, he seemed to be trying to live up to the image put about by those who can’t stand him, complaining about nothing much, and appearing at times alarmingly casual. As he said to himself at one point (with the usual adjectives)”No plan, no nothing.”

What was needed here was a sharp, business-like performance, and some indication of increasing confidence. Things can only get better, but will they?


Margot Says:

@Colin
Far too harsh. Andy played superbly in the first set, as a scoreline of 6-1 would tend to suggest. Had his customary lapse at the start of the 2nd, perhaps the first had been too easy? Let far too much upset him including TG’s grunting. I can only ever remember him complaining about Granollers b4 so I guess it was pretty bad. TG also started to play much better.
However, towards the end of the 2nd Andy went onto a different plain altogether.
And, comms were purring about his athleticism and his shot making.
What’s not to like?


Colin Says:

Margot, this is a best-of-three tournament, so if Andy has that kind of temporary lapse against Nole, he’ll lose. If he plays as we know he can, I still think he is the most likely player to stop the amazing progress of Djoker, but only if he does indeed get back to top form. Of course, that’s assuming he gets to play Nole.

TennisVagabond, maybe the best guys don’t usually lose to Ivo, but Federer has, even if only once (I haven’t checked).


RZ Says:

@Colin and TV – I checked and Fed is 11-1 against Karlovic. The one loss was at the 2008 Cincinnati Masters. http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=F324&oId=K336


TennisVagabond.com Says:

Fed is 11-1 against Ivo. Nadal 4-0. Mandy 5-0.

However, Novak is actually 1-2. Isn’t that strange!

I stand by my prediction: Cilic winning the USO does not make him an instant challenger. He has to put up other results before I’ll buy in.


jane Says:

nole’s 1-1 with dr. ivo. they’ve playing only twice but not since 2008!! weird.


TennisVagabond.com Says:

Some great matches on tap tonight in the 2nd round: Wawrinka/ Simon, Rafa/FLo, Novak/ Thiem and Berdych/ Gasquet.

Love the Masters tournaments!


Brando GOAT Poster Says:

@TV:

Re Cilic:

I would have to disagree respectfully with that. Of course you are entitled to think as such- and I completely respect your viewpoint so I hope you don’t take this as a knock against it- but I put forward the following positive arguement for Marin in our forecasting game of his future:

1. He won the US Open after all:

This is quite naturally the biggest arguement in his favour. Once you have climbed that mountain who really can truly say you cannot do so again?

No one.

His game has shown he’s good enough for it, the scope of his talent (huge serve, groundstrokes) naturally cast him in the role of a major threat and on top of it he’s still relatively young enough at 26 to be seen as a serious threat for atleast the next 2 maybe 3 years on a Grand Slam stage.

2. The nature of his US Open win:

From the 5th set in his R16 match v the very competitive SIMON, against the stiff opposition- without any doubt on paper for Marin- against BERDYCH, FEDERER and NISHIKORI he dropped a grand total of 0 set’s. That’s right. No typo error there.
He won 10 straight sets in the most toughest part of any Grand Slam: the stretch to the title!
Now to do such a thing yes you need talent, yes you need to be in form but especially when you do it on such a big stage, where you are experiencing a greater scrutiny you also need:

Serious mental strength.

To produce the goods like he did showed serious strength of character- most especially in the match against FEDERER. In that one he was up against a Tennis Legend, a roaring crowd that sensed a possible hurrah GS for their favourite and also the not so small pressure of being a match away from a first Grand Slam final.

That’s serious pressure.

Yet Marin answered each and every question not only FEDERER but the vocal crowd asked of him in a emphatic manner that suggested the guy has a deep lying strength of character and has got the good’s mentally.

For a Grand Slam Champion- i feel- you need the perfect marriage of:

Talent + Mental Strength.

Marin showed both in the USO and if you got the good’s: who’s to say a repeat is not possible?

3. Post first Grand Slam win drop in form syndrome:

Many Grand Slam winners- even the record breaking Federer- have experienced a letdown post winning their first Grand Slam. It’s a natural thing to experience. One’s you have experienced such a unique high to all of a sudden be expected to switch a button and immediately dominate or repeat such strong performances is a touch unfair to ask of a player. And even then:

Marin has actually done well. He won both his DC matches immediately post USO. He then lost in QF of China Open to a GS winner who’s a tough matchup for him: ANDY MURRAY.

And now he lost in the lottery match v KARLOVIC: a tricky match even for the best of returners, let alone Marin who does not especially depend on that side of the game. Considering all that: I think he has done really well post USO and it’s a bit unfair to knock him for his performance.

4. A possible change at the top= oppurtunity for others?

Fed is 33. Rafa (sadly) has another issue to deal with physically. Andy is in a bit of transition phase and then there is Novak. He excelled in China Open- as he always does- but I think Novak himself will say he’s been a touch shaky. He has not been- I feel and during the year and Novak even admits to this- on top form, rock solid for a stretch of time. He may now but he’s not been in brilliant form for a consistent period of time this year. For a Hardcourt talent like him not play a single HC final and register a R16,QF and SF result on the most important part of HC season quite clearly is not upto his standards. Could it be possible to suggest that maybe- and I am only speculating here- that for the young guns Novak could be beatable in future years since he’ll be 28 next year and traditionally has not been a Fedal type ruthless player in Slams?

I think it’s fair to speculate that to point. When you consider NISHIKORI-one of the young guns- was the guy who beat him in the US Open, a player like Cilic could take heart from that.

Now the point is not about Novak here in the main- I focus on him since he’s the only top 4 still doing well- but rather of speculating as climate seems to suggest:

Maybe the top 4 are not tough to beat as they once where. Maybe they are more beatable than in former years.

Considering this year, the fact that next year they shall be age: 34, 29 and 28 with a lot of mileage on the clock it leads me to say:

I think the likes of Cilic will certainly have their opportunities to win big ones more than they had previously done before.

With that and all the above in mind:

I actually think Cilic will be a force in future Grand Slams and all of them. He’s shown his HC credentials (W at USO, SF at AO) he has fared excellently on Grass (won Queens, lost in 5th to Novak in QF of Wimby this year) and I am sure he has reached 4th at FO, QF at Rome and won titles on Clay. Clearly he can perform at all Slams.

So I DEFINITELY believe he’ll be a factor/can win future Slams and at the least deserves far more time before he can be ruled out from doing such a thing in a fair manner.


Polo Says:

Very well said, BGP. Now is the time for all young men to charge into the Big 4 fortress while the guards are down. Djokovic is currently the only one holding steadfast. Charge while Nadal is still ailing, while Murray is still trying to wake up. And Federer, well, he’s no longer the mighty king he once was. Cilic has one foot in. The others should also step up their games. Together, an onslaught by the younger ones should pay off for them.


TennisVagabond.com Says:

We shall see. I peg Nishikori and Raonic ahead of Cilic and Dmitrov right now, but you’re right, Marin has shown definite mental strength. My question is whether he will be a Tsonga/ Berdych banger who when on can beat anyone but can’t stay “on” through 7 matches.


Daniel Says:

if Berdych loses to Gasquet things get interesting. If Nadal can’t compete in a high level, Raonic can get to the final, or Wawa.


Wog boy Says:

^^Wawa won’t get to the final, not with 66 UE.


Hippy Chick Says:

Wawas out….

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