Marin Cilic Reaches Australian Open Final

by croatiaweek
January 25, 2018
in Sport

Marin Cilic reaches his first Australian Open final (Photo: Australian Open/Twitter)

Marin Cilic has made it through to his third Grand Slam final after beating Britain’s Kyle Edmund in the semi-final at the Australian Open on Thursday.

The 6th-seed Croatian, who was playing in his second Australian Open semi-final, was too good for the unseeded Edmund, winning in straight sets 6-2, 7-6, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

After the two players held serve in the opening few games, Cilic would break Edmund in the 6th game of the first set against a nervous Edmund playing in his first Grand Slam semi-final to go 4-2 up.

Cilic, who stepped it up a gear and was starting to nail his trademark ground shots, confirmed the break to go 5-2 before breaking again to take the first set 6-2 in 35 minutes.

There it is! @cilic_marin claims the first set in his bid to become the first 🇭🇷 player – man or woman – to reach the #AusOpen Final. pic.twitter.com/BJm526EHim

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2018

The start of the second set was delayed as Edmund sought a medical time-out for work on his lower back. When the set finally resumed Cilic held serve with ease to go 1-0 up.

Edmund sparked to life after a heated debate with the match referee after a call went Cilic’s way as he looked more aggressive and started to hold his serve more comfortably. Edmund had a sniff at 0-30 on Cilic’s serve in the 9th game, but the Croatian’s big serve helped him win the game to go 5-4 up.

With both players holding serve throughout, the set would be decided in a tie-breaker with Cilic taking it 7-4.

That 2️⃣ sets to 0️⃣ winning feeling for @cilic_marin!@Kia_Motors #KiaTennis #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/UpSSLhvztN

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2018

Cilic, playing some superb tennis, kept the tempo up in the third set breaking in the third game to go 2-1 up. He had a physically tiring Edmund on the ropes in his next service game but he somehow managed to hold after Cilic had a breakpoint.

Cilic, who looked focused, fit and hungry from the opening point, broke again to race to 5-2 and then held his serve to close out the set to deservedly reach his second Australian Open final.