Marin Cilic Will Try To Snap A 12-Match Losing Streak To Novak Djokovic In The Wimbledon QFs

Very honest assessment. Can anyone comment on his level of play, as compared to USO?
Cilic certainly seems the most dangerous of the quarterfinal underdogs. I had been skeptical that he could recapture that USO form often, but making the quarters at Wimbledon is nothing to sneeze at.

July 7th, 2015 at 10:26 am

“against the South African” – really? i didnt know cilic is south african. ;)

anderson is, of course.

all i can say is, “phew” for nole! and i hope he can beat the us open champ with less rest than all the rest. lots of mental energy spent in that r16 match. but at least the qf streak still lives.

July 7th, 2015 at 10:48 am

@TV – I don’t’ know about Cilic’s level of play this tournament, but he has now played 2 5-setters and 1 long 4-setter. I just don’t see him having much left in the tank for Novak, who is going to get many more balls back to him than his previous opponents.

July 7th, 2015 at 11:03 am

Cilic is not at USO level from what I’ve seen. It took him 5 sets to eliminate Berankis who he would have destroyed last USO. Lost a set to Dennis Kudla too, but that was straight after a 5 set battle with Isner. He’ll come out fighting and I’d definitely not count him out vs Nole. Marin has to have a great serving day and he did vs Isner – 35 aces, 88% 1st serves in.

July 7th, 2015 at 11:06 am

That was really tense for Nole, jane. Lots of mental energy spent in that match v Anderson. I’m very relieved that he made it to the quarterfinal, too. Not sure he gets to the semi. One match at a time, for now…

July 7th, 2015 at 11:13 am

Novak will not make it to the final. It will be Cilic or Stan and the chance of a all Swiss final is quite real.

July 7th, 2015 at 11:27 am

if Cilic can play USOpen stylo yes but otherwise djokerino will be waiting and take him easy.

havent seen USOPEN stylo Cilic since USOpen…..
but he comes to the party because Novak will lose the final.

July 7th, 2015 at 11:42 am

“he did vs Isner – 35 aces, 88% 1st serves in.”

gulp. well, novak survived 40 aces versus kevin. but wow, brutal.

July 7th, 2015 at 11:51 am

vika breaks. come on

July 7th, 2015 at 11:57 am

All current Slam winners in the same side of the draw.

Think Novak has to clean his act in Wimbledon tiebreaks. Even last year he was losing a few.

From now on he needs ti win thos e if he is to beat Cilic/Wawa/Murray or Fed. and I defintelly see him olay a few tiebreaks in next 3 rounds. He can’t aford mental lapses and giving up leada because from now on he will face Slam winners and much more tougher mentally players.

July 7th, 2015 at 1:13 pm

The thing with Cilic is that last year he got on a roll last 3 rounds, sometging Wawa did this year in RG as well. Maybe Novak can hit another gear because his last Slams wins had a few scares along the way. Of course, he is facing diffciult competition in later rounds, as it will be this year again. But he is still the man to beat and recovering frim
2 sets down losing two tiebreaks will only increase his aura. Cilci and Wawa knows that will require a masterfull performance to beat him. Wawa already got his perfect match last month, can’t see him replicating that again and on grass. And Cilic seems still not there plus the mental hurdle of never beating Novak.
Mand even Murray (with the 8 losa streak) and Fed with last year defeat will have doubst. They all in a way “fear” Novak.

July 7th, 2015 at 1:22 pm

I hope Novak beats Cilic 6/0,6/0,6/0,with both hand tied behind his back,standing on one leg,and blind folded,OK its unlikely,i just hope he puts the beatdown on this guy….

July 7th, 2015 at 1:31 pm

For Federer it is not fear. He does want to bring everything to the table and if he does I am sure Federer knows hè can beat him.
Federer is playing out of this world tennis and djokovic camp is bothered by it. They cant believe he is that good.
The fact Becker was with Murray match to look at him is just to try and get Federer off balance.

But Becker knows that this time they face different Federer on sunday.

July 7th, 2015 at 1:36 pm

@Hippy Chick

Nah, it would be 6/0, 6/1, 6/0

July 7th, 2015 at 1:39 pm

Cilic will get beat pretty badly I feel. Novak is a awful matchup for him and Marin has barely got to QF. When I’ve seen him so far this event his game lacks in any hint of consistency. Novak in 3, max 4 if he goes on a walkabout.

July 7th, 2015 at 1:54 pm

Wawranika & Anderson have shown how to trouble djokovic. Wawranika was able to complete the act Anderson couldn’t. They have shown the way something del petro also showed us in past how to trouble novak

July 7th, 2015 at 2:09 pm

Even federer have also shown us in Dubai

July 7th, 2015 at 2:11 pm

Cilic is a good guy to root for, but I want to see a Nole-Stan rematch.

July 7th, 2015 at 3:12 pm

Nole will beat Cilic – not sure about Nole v Stan

July 7th, 2015 at 3:17 pm

wat is this court scheduling.
Federer gave himself the toughest draw and now he places himself on court 1. slowest court in da house where that little pisser er pusher has a shot to counter punch.

July 7th, 2015 at 3:33 pm

what do you think “the way” is nitesh? personally i’d say all those matches were very different, and “troubling” to novak for different reasons.

1. fed, dubai – fed has a great serving day but he also rushed the net a lot during that match

2. wawrinka – up his serving percentage by 10% for the final, hit winners off his backhand as usual, but his his forehand was firing too. i felt that novak played CC too much and seemed to lack explosiveness that day but stan played v. well.

3. anderson – 40 aces, mainly. but also novak should’ve won one of those first two tiebreak. he got himself into trouble vs andderson, by going behind 2 sets. by contrast, i think fed and wawrinka simply put on clinical displays in their wins. anderson too played very well, but i think that novak should’ve finished that match in 4.

July 7th, 2015 at 3:37 pm

as for del potro? he can trouble anyone when all cylinders are firing, but it’s not an easily reproduced formula.

July 7th, 2015 at 3:39 pm

Jane, I agree. The same idea was spouted when anyone beat or challenged Rafa: the formula had been worked out.

Actually, its not so easy, and as Jane said, tactically, Fed, Stan and Anderson all played very different matches. The only “tactic” they had in common was serving big- as if all those wins Novak has in the last years are because the opposition went in thinking, “My game plan is to serve lousy”.

I think Stan did showcase some ACTUAL tactics and patterns that could potentially be used by others, and which we discussed at the time, but I didn’t really notice that with Kevin.

July 7th, 2015 at 3:59 pm

Agree Jane, that is why I said it will require a masterfull performance to beat Djoko. Wawa already made one and I can’t believe he will do it again.

Murray play him close but lost in mental department so for him to beat him he will have to be focused the whole match (yet to be seen post surgery) and Fed is the one playing great serving grass tennis to trouble Djoko. But once you face THE return anything can happen. I still think Fed or Murray have a better chance to beat Djoko than Wawa here.

July 7th, 2015 at 5:36 pm

Cilic is a pretty dangerous player to confront and Novak must be pretty conscious about it and not take the opponent lightly. Afterall, he barely escaped against Anderson by the skin of his teeth and was home only due to the choking of his opponent.

Although, Novak will derive tremendous satisfaction from the favourable H2H stats against Cilic, yet Stats may not matter much as every match is different. Cilic also is tremendously inspired after becoming a Grand slam Champion and so he will always stay focused, resilient and confident even against top players. So, it must be a tough match where Cilic atleast snatches a set or even two. However, Novak might ultimately prevail. Let us see how this goes.

At the other end, I have no doubt about Andy’s victory against Posposil which I take for granted considering the fabulous way the former is playing in this tournament.

July 8th, 2015 at 1:12 am