Marcel Granollers devastates Marin Cilic in 2nd round Melee – Valencia Open 2011
Marcel Granollers, Spanish world No.34, acted as the second upset of the event as he destroyed Croatian world No.20, Marin Cilic in the 2nd round match of Valencia Open 2011 on Thursday, 3rd November. Playing
at Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, Valencia, Spain, it took 25-year-old two hours and 13 minutes to finish off the hard indoor match 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Commencing with the second round match, Cilic won the toss and started off with his opening serve. Serving out game one, Croatian world No.20, rolled down the scoreboard, 1-0. Serving up second, Granollers fell short and lost his
opening serve as Cilic broke the Spaniard in game 2 to lead 2-0.
Extending his lead and winning his third consecutive game, 3-0, the 23-year-old took control of the set and stood to return once again. Winning his first game of the set, Granollers turned down his side of the score card, 1-3,
however, could not break back to cut the lead.
Bagging games of respective serves, Cilic eventually ended the set winning the set with a three games lead, 6-3, and went on to play the second set.
Struggling in the match opener, Granollers struck back in the second set. Starting off first, the Spaniard served out game one, followed up by Cilic levelling back the scores, 1-1. The 25-year-old world No.34 struck when he served
out game three, 2-1, and broke the first set captivator in game four and served out again to lead the set, 4-1.
Three games down, Cilic bagged a winner, however, was unable to break back any time in the set. With just two more games left to finish off the set, Granollers served out two out of the next four games to finish off the set at
the same scores he lost in set one, 6-3, to even the match scores, 1-1.
Battling out hard, the two clashed out again in the decider set with Cilic taking the opening serve. Spaniard, world No.34, kept his momentum and broke early, game one, and served out game 2 to lead the set bagging two straight
games.
However, the Croatian broke back as he served out game three, 2-1, and served out the next, game four, to level the scores at, 2-2. With the match burning up, both players then bagged games on respective serves to equal up at 3-3,
4-4, and then on 5-5 before the table turned.
Cilic served game eleven, however, could not counter the Spaniards offence and broke down. Winning away game eleven, Granollers was now left with one more win, 6-5, to finish off with. Saving a breakpoint, the Spaniard took out
game twelve to finish off the set, 7-5, and the match with a marvellous comeback in set two.
Through into the quarter-final zone of the ATP World Tour 500 event, Granollers rivals the third seed of the event, Frenchman, Gael Monfils, ranked world No.10, as the two battle out to decide the semis spot on Friday, 04 November
2011.
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