UNBELIEVEABLE CILIC ELIMINATES MEDVEDEV TO REACH THE QUARTER-FINALS OF THE FRENCH OPEN- ‘I PLAYED INCREDIBLE’.
Marin Cilic was on top form as he thrashed Daniil Medvedev in the last 16 of the French Open. World No. 2 Medvedev had not dropped a set in his previous three matches at the tournament but only managed to win seven games against hard-hitting Cilic, who will next face Andrey Rublev for a place in the semi-finals against either Casper Ruud or Holger Rune.
Marin Cilic produced a brilliant display to beat world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in straight sets and reach the quarter-finals of the French Open for the third time.
Medvedev had won all three previous meetings against Cilic and was yet to drop a set at the tournament.
But he was overwhelmed by a clinical display of hitting from Cilic, who finished with 33 winners and didn’t face a single break point in a 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory that lasted just one hour and 45 minutes.
It is Medvedev’s heaviest defeat at a Grand Slam while Cilic is into his first major quarter-final since the 2018 US Open and his third at Roland-Garros, having also made the last eight in 2017 and 2018.
“It was an absolutely fantastic match from the first point to the last,” said Cilic afterwards.
“I played incredible tennis, one of the best matches of my career from start to finish.”
Cilic will next face Andrey Rublev after he advanced when Jannik Sinner retired with an injury.
The winner of that quarter-final should be fancied to make the final as they will face either Casper Ruud or Holger Rune, who are both at this stage of a Grand Slam for the first time in their careers.
Cilic had looked in impressive form in his opening matches, only dropping three games in the first round and five in the third round, but the ruthless fashion he dispatched with Medvedev was still a surprise.
The second seed was blown away in the first set by Cilic, who won 92 per cent of first-serve points and hit deep and hard with his forehand.
Medvedev found himself dragged around the court and gave up the set with a double fault.
Cilic continued to play on the front foot and tally up more winners in the second set as he pushed Medvedev around.
The Croatian also showed some nice touch and broke in the sixth game to move 4-2 ahead.
Medvedev saw the set slip away when he missed a forehand down the line and another error saw him broken to start the third set.
The Russian had come back from two sets to love to beat Cilic at Wimbledon last year, but there looked little chance of a repeat as his frustration continued to grow.
Cilic didn’t relent, breaking twice early in the third set and going on to seal a memorable win in under two hours to book his place in the next round.
