Marin Cilic edges past Sam Querrey into the last 16 – Wimbledon Championships 2012
Marin Cilic of Croatia advanced to the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time in last four years, as he overcame USA’s 64th ranked player, Sam Querrey, in a five set thriller 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(3),
17-15 in the round of 32 of the Wimbledon Championships on Saturday.
Spanning a total of five fours and 31 minutes, this was the second longest match in respect of time in the history of this event. Only John Isner and Nicolas Mahut’s match went longer than this, which lasted for a record 11 hours
and five minutes.
Querrey made a fine start, as he struck in the very first game of the match and consolidated on it to gain a 2-0 lead. However, Cilic broke back in the eighth to square off the score at 4-4. The set was taken into a tie-breaker,
where the Croatian snatched last two points to seal it 7-6(6).
The second set was the only one which did not go the distance, as Cilic claimed a breakthrough in the fifth game and maintained his advantage till the end to win 6-4.
Cilic and Querrey gave a flawless display on serve in the third set, as they did not drop it even once to level the score at 6-6 and force a tie-breaker. It was all Querrey show this time, as he dropped only two points and grabbed
it 7-6(2).
In the fourth set, the American made a strike in the third game to move ahead but Cilic hit back in the eighth to even out the proceedings at 4-4. Both players held their serve in the next four, taking the set to another tie-breaker.
Querrey dominated once again, making two mini-breaks and capitalizing on them to triumph 7-6(3).
The decider was a marathon, with none of the two players willing to give other the slightest of advantage. Cilic managed to break Querrey in the 11th game but the American did not take any time to equalise it at 6-6.
Both players put on a brilliant serving display in the following 18 games to take the score to 15-15. Cilic managed to snatch a break in the end and made the most of it, grabbing the final set 17-15.
About his physical condition, Cilic said, “We didn't have too many rallies that were physically tough. It was a lot of serving and one or two shots. It's more of walking in the match for that long.”
The Croatian added, “I played this year also five hours and ten minutes with Nalbandian on clay in Argentina in Davis Cup, so that was really difficult physically. I would say this was more mentally tough to stay in there and to
cope with all the things that are coming.”
On the other hand, Querrey stated, “I feel good. I could have won that first set. It slipped away. Even though I lost, I feel like I played well. I'm looking forward to the summer.”
Cilic is pitted against the world number four, Andy Murray of Great Britain, in the fourth round.
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