Photo: AP
Marin Čilić looked to be on his way to his biggest win in two years at the 2012 U.S. Open Wednesday night. He took the first set 6-3 against 2012 Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray in the men’s quarterfinal, and was in full control of the second set, up 5-2 at one point.
Then the wheels came off the wagon. Murray fired off four straight games to force a second set tiebreak, which he would ultimately win 7-4 to tie up the match at one set apiece. He never looked back.
The momentum which Čilić had built for the first 90 minutes of the match were gone and mental fatigue could very well be the culprit. Murray ran through the final two sets 6-2, 6-0 to force a semifinal encounter with Czech Republic man Tomas Berdych, who defeated world #1 Roger Federer later in the night.
“He (Čilić) got nervous. That was the main difference,” Murray said. ”I did start playing better towards the end of the second set. And because I was in it, I started to feel that momentum was with me.” It wasn’t necessarily through my great play in the second set why I got back into it. But after that, I was hitting the ball much better, and I felt confident at the end of the match. I was returning well, serving well, and moved better at the end. It was good to finish like that, obviously.”
-Andy Murray after the match
Čilić had Murray cornered on the night and handed the Scotsman a free pass. What does Čilić have to attribute this loss to?
You dont rekon he’ll pick up a major by the end of his career? I think if he improves his game he’s a serios shot at say an aussie or a us open .. Who knows time will tell, still only 23.
“still developing”……..how many years has he been on the tour?????
If Cilic ever wins a grand slam I’ll reveal my identity.
End of the day he’s gonna lose to the eventual champion so all in all it was a successfull tourny for “young” and still “developing” marin.
cilic is a choke artist retard. he should retire and beg on the streets. the same applies to ziva istina and the creators of this site.
Many people do dream of me when they are having sex……men and women. 😉
Ziva you still remind me of sex in mouth.
nevermind……..Tipsarevic’s choke is much worse than Cilic’s. Both should form a chokers club.
Man, this Tipsarevic is showing something today. Battling injuries and looks like he will win his 5-set battle. This guy is a fighter unlike Cilic.
I think that’s a compliment, Ziva.
please explain……
ZIVA YOU REMIND ME OF SEX IN THE MOUTH.
off
Less than 7,000 tickets sold for tomorrow’s game. They may get over 10,000.
Well done by the fans in not turning out. Much better of watching at home or in a cafe.
Speaking of an actual winner…
46 years ago today Dinamo Zagreb wrote history and won the 1967 Kup Velesajmskih Gradova; they remain the only Croatian team with a European trophy. Slava im! I naprijed Plavi!
I just Googled her………….nice very nice….I like…nicey nice
Flavor of the month for Corluka.
Hey, have you SEEN Franka Batelic? I’d be in love too.
Guys Corluka’s is in love.
http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Panorama/2012-09-06/29471/Vedran_Corluka_is_%27crazily_in_love%27
BTW
Did anyone see Balotell’s White Slag ex girlfriend visit Medjugorje?
Too bad for Cilic.
Then you tell me how it’s possible that “Cilic has been ANYTHING BUT GOOD since 2010” and at the same time be ranked 13th in the world?
This conversation would have never even started if that erroneous statement was not in your article. I was just editing your article. Anyway, I literally feel sick, Cilic looked fucked up during that last game. I’m sad the beautiful Aryan Ivanovic lost too.
5-1 up in the second lol man did he choke
Typical Cilic. I expected this. Now Medjugorje is known for two things: an alleged sighting of gospa and choke artists.
HAET,
“You’re statement is impossible.”
That’s unrealistic….
This conversation is dying. I just wanted to see how many consecutive ‘sports’ comments you could leave.
I’m proud of you my friend… 🙂
@Ante, so then why did you direct that comment at me? Did I say anything in this thread that isn’t “realistic”?
HAET,
Don’t flatter yourself. I always root for my croatians, favorite or underdog. But at the same time I’m a realistic sports fan.
A top-15 player in the world just blew a 5-2 lead that could have sent him on his way to a grand slam semi….
What’s so great about that? It’s disappointing. Just like Rakitic’s non-header vs Spain. But that;s sports….and that’s why we watch.
@AnteK, LOL! you’re rooting against Cilic to spite me? What did I say above that isn’t true?
@ HAET.
Ahh the cilic we have all learned to love…
Wins the first set. Great!
Up 5-2 in the second. Fantastic!
Loses in tiebreak. Typical…
He’s done in 4…watch
Damn. Cilic had the momentum and lead that tiebreak 4-2, and he just lost it 4-6. I thought he was gonna close that second set out. I can’t watch this game anymore.
Glad to see Cilic won that first set against Murray, but I think it’s over for him. Good effort at least. Gonna check the score later to see if Cilic can surprise me.
Murray is so rattled.
Lol what a fucking joke
Cilic has some type of mental issues, in this era to be up 5 1 and do this, wtf is he doing
Ziva,
No can do partner. Work internet blocked the stream. I appreciate the link though…
Cilic up a break in the 2nd….is he going to pull this off?
Remember, Cilic won the first set against Murray in the 2010 Aussie semi and then dropped the next three…
This could be a big win for him but its still early. Federer would possibly be next..
here you go……
http://www.atdhenet.tv/50102/watch-us-open-louis-armstrong-stadium
@ ziva,
yep I’m all caught up right now. currently at work. he’s up 5-3 in the first. playing well?
I dont have video…
Damn, Cilic showing something today by winning the first set.
Thanks.
Cilic is not on Ashe. I am watching it right now. They moved his match to one of the other courts.
Cilic is on after the Roddick match, which could very well go 5 sets.
Did Cilic play?
Rain delay, matches were scheduled to start at 11 et, yet to start. Cilic plays in the third match on Ashe
This is Cilic’s first quarterfinal at a grand slam since the Aussies in 2010. He has been playing fairly well recently and hopefully he can make the quarterfinals at majors a habit
@JerseyCro, how is this era much different from any other? If anything, 4 elite players is 3 more than existed just a few years ago.
@jerseyCro…..you are forgetting Del Potro in 09.
@HAET……correct, I should have never said “easy.” There is nothing “easy” about being a top 20 player in the world Instead, I would say this is Cilic’s ceiling at this point in his career. He has not shown the ability to do much more than win small events. Right now he is unable to break through. I would put him just behind Tipsarevic. We’ll see what happens today. I would love to be wrong, but history suggests Cilic goes down in straight sets today.
In this era of men;s tennis its almost impossible for anybody outside the top 4 to win a grand slam.
I mean the last time somebody other than Federer, Nadal or Djokovic won a grand slam was 2005
Cilic does magic tricks to get a high ranking that nobody else can!
If it’s “easy” to get a high a ranking, wouldn’t everybody ranked lower be doing it?
The reason Cilic is the 13th ranked player in the world is because he does very well at minor events that don’t feature any of the world’s top 10 players. Look at the the titles he has won; they have all been 250 or 500 level tournaments. Those are small tourneys that feature many no-name players. Outside of that one Aussie Open run where he was lucky he got to play an injured Del Potro in the QFs, he has not done much at the majors or the master series events. A player can easily build up a ranking in the top 20 just be performing well at minor events.
If form holds true I expect Murray to easily handle Cilic today. Something like a 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 loss. Cilic has benefitted from having an easy draw so far and all credit to him for getting this far, but I am afraid it ends today. I hope to wrong.
I also think this is about as good as Cilic will be in his career. He is a solid player, but does not have a great serve and his forehand can be erratic. Nothing wrong with having this type of career. he’ll make about $1 million per year and be able to live a nice life.
Based on that statement, any one outside of the top 10 could be considered “anything but good.” Cilic is just another athlete that possess all the tools to be a great player but is missing something, i don’t know if it is a proper coach, training or a mental thing. But outside of the big 4, you have maybe 4 guys that are close and win a game here and there against the top 4 and than I guess the rest have been “anything but good” lol. This is just how tennis works out, its hard to be a top force in this sport, Cilic is a top 15 player that still throws out a stinker on more occasions than he should, but comparing him to i guess Federer or Murray I guess you are right, he has been anything but good.
I hope he wins today, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall apart under the pressure.
All I said was that your statement of – “Cilic has been anything but good” – is obviously false b/c he’s the 13th rank player in the world.
We’ve had this conversation before. He struggles and goes 4-5 sets in the first two rounds in the majority of his tournaments. He makes the finals of the small ones and averages the third round in the bigger tourneys/grand slams.
Not that impressive IMO for a top-15 player.
He gets far with a favorable draw and an upset. Tsonga fell this time around, so Cilic gets a quarterfinal berth.
In 2010 at the Aussie, Roddick went on tilt in the 4th round and del Potro was injured. That’s how Cilic reached the semis.
He can prove me wrong tomorrow but I think Murray takes it in straight sets.
“Čilić has been anything but good since his semifinal berth at the 2010 Australian Open”
Your statement is impossible, Cilic is the 13th ranked player in the world.
@Jack V, I responded to your comment under the ‘Cricket’ article.