Marin Cilic’s US Open title defence continues after a dramatic five sets victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Last year’s champion halted the comeback of the Frenchman to prevail 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, (3)6-7, 6-4 in a four hour epic. He will face the winner of Novak Djokovic vs Feliciano Lopez who contest the second men’s quarter final of the day
The early exchanges were even with neither player giving an inch on serve. But the momentum swung in favour of the Croatian at 4-4. After saving four break points in the previous game, Cilic became the first man in this tournament to break the Tsonga serve and went on to serve out the set 6-4.
The Croatian smartly deployed the tactic of exposing the weaker wing of the 19th seed, playing most of his shots to the backhand. It was a game plan that remained successful in the second set and at 2-2 his play was rewarded with a break. The 9th seed would then hold serve for the rest of the set to double his advantage. Tsonga also received treatment for a niggling left knee injury.
It was now or never for Tsonga, who had previously come from two sets down successfully twice in his career. The Frenchman found more first serves in the third set and ran around the backhand to bring his devastating forehand in to play. As a result he was facing less pressure on serve, and the improved return earned him break points at 4-3 and on the second attempt he got the breakthrough. Tsonga would serve out the set as the Arthur Ashe crowd rallied behind him.
The fans wanted more tennis, and who could blame them? That is precisely what they got in the fourth. It was tense and dramatic but the curtains looked to be falling on Tsonga’s US Open dream. Cilic earned two match points on the 30 year old’s serve but failed to convert either one, and then one more went begging at 6-5. It took a tiebreaker to separate them and with the momentum of saving the match points, Tsonga was in command. The Frenchman bombed serves and forehands to level the match after winning the tiebreak 7-3. The chants of ‘Tsonga’ were heard as the crowd sensed a potential comeback as the sun set on New York City.
But Cilic- who has never lost from two sets up, was having none of it. Two break points went astray in the opening game, but the defending champion showed why he won the title last year. A poor service game from Tsonga was met with the cry of ‘Allez’ from the Croatian as he broke through in the final set.
The sun was setting over Arthur Ashe, as was Tsonga’s chances, but he still managed to hold from 0-30 down to ask Cilic the question. With Goran Ivanisevic looking on, the defending champion found himself serving for a semifinal place. Some big serves earned match point, but the pressure got to Cilic who threw it away with a double fault. Tsonga fought to get break point but Cilic was equal to the challenge. On the fifth match point the Croatian made no mistake and after a Tsonga forehand went long, Cilic found himself back in the semi-finals.
The World #9 hailed a great ‘mental effort’ In his post-match interview, and will go on to face either Djokovic or Feliciano Lopez for a place in Sunday’s final.
As for Tsonga, another chance to break his US Open semifinal duck went astray, but he captivated the crowd with his aggressive play and almost comeback.
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