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10/15/08 9:09 PM | Ricky Dimon
Two of the game's brightest young stars will be on display when Marin Cilic meets Andy Murray at the Masters Series Madrid on Thursday. A spot in the quarterfinals is on the line.
Marin Cilic and Andy Murray are without question two of the stars of tomorrow, but they are already stars of today as well. Cilic and Murray will also be two of the stars on Thursday, as the Masters Series Madrid has the pleasure of showcasing their talents in a third-round clash, which is the second career head-to-head encounter between the two players. Murray won their only previous meeting last year in a grass-court Davis Cup tie, but he needed five sets to get the job done.
Cilic his looking like he can present serious problems for Murray once again. This is his first tournament since the U.S. Open due to paralysis of a left facial nerve, but the 6'6'' Croat has not seemed to mind the layoff one bit. Cilic took care of Olivier Rochus in straight sets on Monday and then crushed No. 13 seed Fernando Verdasco in the second round. While perhaps a bit surprising due to his month on the sidelines, those results are only more of the same for Cilic this season. His 2008 campaign has been a breakout one, and the 20-year-old is up to 24th in the world. During the United States summer hard-court swing, Cilic reached the quarterfinals in Toronto, won the title in New Haven, and won two matches in Flushing Meadows before giving Novak Djokovic all he could handle.
Cilic will have to be as hot as ever against Murray, who has established himself as the clear-cut No. 4 player in the world this year. In fact right now on hard courts, the 21-year-old Scot looks even better than that. Not only did he win the Masters Series Cincinnati this summer, but he also soared all the way to the U.S. Open final--beating Rafael Nadal in the semis--before succumbing to Roger Federer. Like Cilic, Murray is also playing his first ATP event since the Open, although he did win two singles matches in a Davis Cup tie last month. On Tuesday Murray decimated Simone Bolelli 6-0 in the first set and led 2-1 in the second when the Italian retired with a right shoulder injury.
Neither man has dealt with any suspense so far in Madrid, but that should change in a hurry on Thursday. It is not a great matchup for Cilic because Murray owns one of the best returns in tennis, and big servers have never fared well against him. Fast indoor hardcourts, however, are conducive to Cilic's game as long as he is making a high percentage of first serves. The other thing Cilic has going for him is that his groundstrokes and movement are incredible for a man of his size, so he can hang with Murray even if the No. 4 seed is able to consistently time his returns effectively. Murray's ticket to victory, on the other hand, will be going down the line with his world-class backhand. That shot will pepper his opponent's forehand, which is the weaker wing for Cilic. Don't be surprised if Cilic lasts deep into a third set, but a few clutch shots by Murray at the critical moments should take the favorite through in the end.
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correction, stars.
posmatrac , 10/15/08 10:17 PM
what?
this is not an article about anyone other than Cilic and Murray, so of course I don't mention Djokovic here.
I'm confused about what you mean, but if you are asking whether or not Djokovic is a young star I would say yes, but people don't look at him that way since he is already a Slam winner. He is one of the best, period, not just one of the best youngsters.
RickyDimon , 10/16/08 2:39 AM
i think he deserves to be demoted and moved back to young stars group but for a limited period of time, unless he proves he is worth of it. lately he's tennis sucks big time and i'm afraid AO title might be his first and his last at the same time. Murray has a huge opportunity in closing the gap and overtaking # 3 unless he succumbs to the reasons that made Djokoivc a joke.
posmatrac , 10/18/08 8:58 PM
Did you know that... Lleyton Hewitt won an ATP-title in Adelaide 1998, ranked as number 550 in the world.
torres9, Jan 8, 2009 5:51 PM
HansGunnar, Jan 8, 2009 3:22 PM
homos, Jan 8, 2009 12:22 PM
homos, Jan 8, 2009 12:18 PM
gordana, Jan 8, 2009 9:51 AM
torres9, Jan 8, 2009 5:40 PM
homos, Jan 8, 2009 1:25 PM
RocketQueen, Jan 7, 2009 3:06 AM
Marin Cilic
Andy Murray
ATP Masters Series Madrid
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Ricky Dimon fell out of love for Djokovic as Djoker doesn't belong to the games' brightest young start group anymore?
posmatrac , 10/15/08 10:15 PM