Internazionali BNL d’Italia: Rafael Nadal vs. Marin Cilic – Quarterfinal Preview
Defending champion and world number 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain will face Croatian Marin Cilic, ranked 23rd in the world, in the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at Foro Italico in Rome on Friday.
This will be the third meeting between Nadal and Cilic. The Spaniard and the Croatian number 1 are tied at 1-1 in the head-to-head record.
Cilic upset Nadal in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 when the pair met for the first time in the semi-finals at the China Open in 2009.
In their last meeting, Nadal took the revenge as he cruised past the right-handed in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in the round of 16 at the Australian Open this year.
The Spaniard looked rusty in his opening match and was taken to three sets by Italian Paolo Lorenzi, ranked 148th in the world, but eventually sealed the match 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-0.
However, in his latest match, the 24-year-old was back in form against his compatriot, world number 40 Feliciano Lopez as he beat the 29-year-old in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the third round on Thursday.
Talking to the reporters after the match, the top seed said, "I had a fever this morning but I feel better now. Certainly I didn't really understand why yesterday I felt slow and without energy and I understand now better today.
That is that and I am here to fight and to try my best like I have always done. I am ready for everything."
On the other hand, Cilic has not dropped even a single set on the road to the quarterfinals. The Croatian upset world number 11 Mardy Fish of USA in straight sets 7-6(6), 6-3 in the third round. In the round of 32, the 22-year-old
cruised past Argentinean Carlos Berlocq, ranked 72nd in the world, in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in just an hour and 24 minutes. The right-handed had an easy sailing in the opening round as his compatriot Ivo Karlovic was forced to take retirement due
to an injury at the start of the second set. Karlovic trailed 4-6, 0-1 when he decided to quit the match.
Nadal has amazingly won 29 of the 30 matches he has played at the clay courts of Foro Italico. The six feet and one inch tall is a five time champion here. The left-handed prevailed over David Ferrer in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in
the title match last year. The Spaniard’s only loss came at the hands of former world number 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in straight sets 5-7, 1-6 in the second round in 2008.
In comparison, Cilic boasts a 5-3 win loss record at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. This is the Croatian’s best performance in four attempts at this event. The six feet and six inches tall’s previous best performance was in 2009,
when he lost to Juan Monaco in straight sets 4-6, 4-6 in the round of 16.
The King of Clay is expected to cruise past Cilic due to the Spaniard’s amazing record at his favourite surface.
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