2020 US Open: Marin Čilić advances to 2nd round after comeback 

Marin Čilić (Photo: Mario Ćužić/HTS)

Former US Open winner Marin Čilić has come back from 2 sets to 0 down and 4-5 down in the third to advance through to the second round of the US Open.

Čilić, who is the tournament’s 31st seed, beat American Denis Kudla. 6-7, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday at Flushing Meadows. 

After a tight first set, Kudla managed to get the physiological advantage when he would win the tie-breaker 7-3. He would secure the break in the second set, and with his serve remaining strong, he would take the set 6-3 to jump to a two sets to love lead. 

Kudla would then serve for the match at 5-4 in the third set after breaking but Čilić would break back to tie it up at 5-5 before breaking again to take the set 7-5 and get himself back in the match.  

The Croatian, who hit 25 aces in the match, would win the 4th set 7-5 before taking the fifth set comfortably to round off a great comeback.

Fellow Croatian Ivo Karlović will play his first-round match against experienced Frenchman Richard Gasquet later this evening. 

On Monday, two Croatian players who featured both managed to advance to the second round. 

27th seed Borna Corić had a comfortable straight-sets victory against Spain’s Pablo Andújar, whilst 8th seed Petra Martić came back from a set down and 1-3 to beat Tereza Martincova from the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-2, 6-4.