Cilic/ Ljubicic down Moodie/ Norman in the quarterfinals of Mutua Madrid Open
Croatian team of Marin Cilic and Ivan Ljubicic upset South African/Belgian pair of Wesley Moodie and d**k Norman in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals of Mutua Madrid Open at the La Caja Mágica in Madrid on Friday.
It took Cilic and Ljubicic an hour and 35 minutes to undo their opponents in an evenly contested match.
In the opening set, the Croatian duo took the early lead as they broke Moodie and Norman in the third game and held their serve in the next game to go ahead 3-1. Serving for the set at 5-4, Cilic and Ljubicic failed to hold their
serve, equalling the score at 5-5. However, the Croatian team kept up their morale and broke again immediately in the next game to take a 6-5 lead. Cilic and Ljubicic successfully held their serve this time, claiming the set 7-5.
The Croatian pair delivered a couple of aces and 58 percent of the first serves in the opening set, winning 78 percent of the points on them. On the other hand, Moodie and Norman hit 72 percent of the first serves and won 67 percent
of the points on them in the first set. The South African/Belgian pair converted 22 percent of the first serve returns into points in the opening set. Whereas, Cilic and Ljubicic claimed 33 percent of the points on first service returns. The Croatian team
capitalized on both break point opportunities they created and failed to save the only break point they faced in the first set.
Both teams held their serve in the first 12 games of the second set to tie the score at 6-6, forcing a tie-break. Cilic and Ljubicic clinched a single mini-break in the tie-break and won it 7-5.
The Croatian duo fired three aces and 67 percent of the first serves, converting a whopping 83 percent of the points on them in the second set. In comparison, Moodie and Norman kept their first serve percentage at 75 percent and
clinched 70 percent of the points on them. The South African/Belgian team saved both break points they faced but failed to convert the only break point they received in the second set.
Cilic and Ljubicic are performing exceptionally well at the Mutua Madrid Open. In the second round, they upset Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.
The Croatian pair is drawn to take on French/Serbian pair of Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic in the semi-finals. Llodra and Zimonjic defeated the Belarusian/Canadian pair of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor in three sets 6-4, 4-6,
10-6 in the quarterfinals.
Tags: