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  • Preview: James Blake vs. Marin Cilic

    1/20/08 7:53 PM | Jonathan Morgan
    Preview: James Blake vs. Marin Cilic With all the epic 5 setters, various ethnic controversies, upsets, pepper spray, and Fed and Nadal, one substory may have been overlooked. That is the one of 19 year old Croat Marin Cilic.

    Just before his 3rd round encounter with Fernando Gonzalez, he learned that his grandmother had passed away. With her in mind, he spurred himself to an emotional victory over last year's finalist, playing lights out from the first ball to match point. His talent and height are both enormous, but he is still very young. Many expect this former Junior #1 to do very well, but not yet.

    James Blake had been fantastic his first 2 matches before facing Sebastian Grosjean in the 3rd round. A great 5 setter that one turned out to be, as Blake was down 2 sets to 0, then won the 3rd with a bagel, was down 2 breaks in the 4th, and 3-5 in the tiebreak with Grosjean serving, but managed to pull it out. Grosjean then faded in the 5th. This type of performance is another hump on the experience road for James, something that can only help him, knowing that whatever the score, he can come back, because, hey, he did it before, why not again?

    As for the match, a great one it should be. Power, power, power is the name of the game. Cilic in the previous round was hitting the ball very cleanly from both wings and of course serve, and Gonzalez's low slice wasnt getting to the 195 cm Croat. Blake will counter Cilic's power with his own power, especially off the forehand wing, one of the biggest and flattest in the game.

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Comments

James in 4 for two reasons. One, his confidence is sky high after the comeback win over Grosjean and two, Cilic's biggest weapon -- his serve -- is going up against one of the best returners in the game.

RickyDimon , 1/20/08 9:27 PM


JB is going up in form after winning his first 5 set match
and I love his returns talk about fast reflexes!!!

tennis99 , 1/21/08 5:56 AM



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