Marin Cilic/Ivan Ljubicic down Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez in the second round of Mutua Madrid Open
Marin Cilic and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in the second round at the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid on Thursday. The Croatian pair needed just an hour and
one minute to undo their opponents.
Cilic and Ljubicic broke their opponents in the fourth game of the opening set to take a 3-1 lead. However, Granollers and Lopez were quick to respond as they broke back immediately and held their serve in the next game to level
the score at 3-3. After that, Cilic and Ljubicic won three consecutive games to bag the set 6-3.
The Croatian pair fired five aces and 62 percent of the first serves in the opening set, winning 69 percent of the points on them. On the other hand, Granollers and Lopez delivered 73 percent of the first serves and won 58 percent
of the points on them. The Spaniards managed to save three of the five break points they faced in the first set. Whereas, Cilic and Ljubicic saved one of the two break points they faced in the opening set.
Carrying the winning momentum into the second set, the Croatian pair broke Granollers and Lopez in the opening game and held their serve in the next game, taking a 2-0 lead. Both teams held their serve in the next six games to
take the score to 5-3 in favour of Cilic and Ljubicic. Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, the Spanish duo failed to hold their serve and lost the second set 3-6.
Cilic and Ljubicic hit three aces and 58 percent of the first serves in the second set. The Croatians claimed a whopping 82 percent of the first service points in the second set. In comparison, Granollers and Lopez kept their first
serve percentage at 81 percent and captured 62 percent of the points on them in the second set. Cilic and Ljubicic troubled their Spanish opponents with their strong returns as they won 38 percent of the points on first service returns in the second set. The
Croatians capitalized on one of the three break points they created in the second set.
In their only previous tournament together in 2011, Cilic and Ljubicic reached the round of 16 at the Sony Ericsson Open, losing to Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram of Israel in straight sets 3-6, 6-7(5).
The Croatians are slated to meet South African/Belgian pair of Wesley Moodie and d**k Norman in the quarterfinals. Moodie and Norman defeated Javier Marti and Daniel Munoz-De La Nava of Spain in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(11) in the
second round.
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