Help
9/2/10 2:07 AM | Ricky Dimon
Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori will do battle in an intriguing clash on Thursday at the U.S. Open. A place in the third round is on the line.
2009 U.S. Open quarterfinalist Marin Cilic will continue his bid to make another run in New York when he takes the court on Thursday. Cilic's fortnight got off to a surprisingly smooth start on Monday, but he now faces a tough second-round test against Kei Nishikori.
Their lone previous encounter came in the first round of the 2008 Indian Wells Masters, with Cilic dominating 6-2, 6-4. The two players have experienced much different fortunes since then, with Cilic briefly rising into the Top 10 of the rankings and Nishikori all but falling off the face of the tennis world.
At the moment, however, their paths have come much closer together and that is why they are set to face each other in round two of a slam. Nishikori has missed almost all of the past two years with elbow trouble, but he is clawing his way back to the Top 100 at No. 147 in the world. The 20-year-old Japanese sensation has enjoyed great success at the Challenger level this season and he won his second ATP match of the year on Monday when Evgeny Korolev retired in the second set (Nishikori led 7-6(0), 5-2).
Cilic's form has taken a bit of a hit since he topped off at No. 9 in the world during the second month of the year following a torrid start to his 2009 campaign. Aside from a semifinal performance in Washington, the 6'6'' Croat has been devoid of strong results dating back to the start of the short grass-court swing. Still, Cilic kicked off his U.S. Open in impressive fashion by erasing Illya Marchenko in straight sets.
This could go either way, as it's hard to know what to expect from either player at the moment. If Nishikori is 100 percent and can force his opponent into baseline rallies, he could have the edge. The key for Cilic is to serve well and keep points short. An upset is a real possibility, but Cilic should finally have some confidence after round one so look for him to prevail in five sets.
Find the latest tennis odds at Unibet.com
Tell a friend »
Scan QR code to access Unibet mobile.
Bet on Sports wherever you are and whenever you like, with Unibet's quick and simple mobile client you can place bets, check results and see live odds.
For more info about QR codes & scanners click here.
Contact us
/ About us
/ Cookies
/ Recommended links
/ Advertise
/ Sitemap
Tennistalk v1.5.0
Disclaimer © 2001-2012, Moneytainment Media Ltd - All rights reserved
