PETE ZIEBRON in CINCINNATI
Steve Johnson celebrates after advancing to the quarterfinals. Photo: Christopher Johnson www.GrandSlamMagazine.com
Marin Cilic and Steve Johnson each recorded big victories over the respective #6 & #7 seeds on Grandstand Court on Thursday at the Western & Southern Open. Both moved into Friday's quarterfinals and could face each other in the bottom half semifinal should they win their respective matches.
Cilic's top form against #6 seed Tomas Berdych propelled him to a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory. The Croat hit 23 aces and won an astounding 93% first service points in the match, including a perfect 13/13 in the 3rd set.
Marin Cilic in an intense battle with Tomas Berdych. Photo: Christopher Johnson www.GrandSlamMagazine.com
Throughout the first set and a half, Cilic displayed the form that resembled his play in the 2nd week of the 2014 US Open when he won the title. However, Berdych hung around in the second set and despite losing the opening game of the set, managed to break Cilic as he served at 4-3 and again 4-5 to claim set and level the match.
Berdych took his first lead of the match when he held serve at 15 to win the opening game. In fact, both players played crisp tennis for the first games of the final set and it certainly appeared that a tiebreaker would decide the match. However, Cilic would finally break Berdych on his fifth opportunity on the ninth game of the set and set the stage to serve for the match.
Tomas Berdych attempting to cope with the excellent play of Marin Cilic. Photo: Christopher Johnson www.GrandSlamMagazine.com
Despite dropping the opening point, Cilic fired a pair of aces and then proceeded to win the following two points to win the match.
Marin Cilic lost just one point on his serve in the 3rd set and defeated Berdych, who is now coached by his former coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
Earlier in the day on Grandstand Court, American Steve Johnson, fresh off his Bronze Medal in Doubles at the 2016 Rio Summer Games, defeated #7 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 7-6(6). Thursday's day session at the Western & Southern Open was a sellout and as a result, Grandstand was full to capacity to watch the the American take on the Frenchman.
There would be only one break of serve in the match and Steve Johnson nabbed it in the fourth game of the opening set to take a 3-1 lead. Following that game, Johnson staved off two break points and he then had three opportunities to close out the game following deuce and failed before finally winning the game on his fourth attempt.
Johnson would have to once again save a break point when he served for the opening set as he would ultimately win the final three points of the set to put himself a set away from the quarterfinals. Just as he did in the opening set, Steve Johnson would save three break points against in the second set and both players held serve fairly comfortably throughout the set.
Steve Johnson enjoying the support of the overflow crowd on Grandstand. Photo: Christopher Johnson www.GrandSlamMagazine.com
Tsonga was able to race to leads of 4-1 and 6-3 in the tiebreaker, however Steve Johnson would win the final five points of the breaker to steal the set and advance to the quarterfinals.
Johnson will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov to open play on Center Court on Friday. Meanwhile, Cilic will take on countryman Borna Coric in the final match of the day session. Dimitrov recorded his fourth consecutive win over #2 seed Stan Wawrinka while Coric defeated #3 seed Rafael Nadal in straight sets.
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