Marin Cilic flashes past Andreas Seppi into the last four – Studena Croatia Open 2011
Fourth seeded Croat Marin Cilic outclassed seventh seeded Italian Andreas Seppi with a breadstick at the Studena Croatia Open, an ATP World Tour 250 series event held on the clay courts in Umag, Croatia. With the support of his
home crowd, Cilic registered an assuring 6-1, 6-3 victory over the 27-year-old Italian to advance into the semi-finals on Friday.
Cilic, world number 31, took revenge for his loss at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, China after earning a straight set victory against the Italian, ranked 13 places below him, on their sixth meeting. He not only secured
a final four spot at ITC Stella Maris after this seventy-one minute match but also levelled the head-to-head series by 3-3 against Seppi.
The Monte Carlo resident, Cilic went into savage mode after the Italian held his opening serve and reeled off last five games in a row to earn a breadstick. He produced a slightly higher first serve share of 65 percent as compared
to Seppi’s 61 percent but registered a magnificent 87 percent win on it. The Croat also fended off the only breakpoint conceded and converted two out of four breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to seal the set by winning six games to one.
Cilic maintained consistency in his game in the final set as held on to his entire serve through exquisite forehands from his box of tricks. He was never threatened with breakpoints and took initial lead by breaking the Italian’s
serve in the fifth game. The Croat eventually clinched the set with a 6-3 win by breaking Seppi’s serve again in the last game. He clobbered a slightly lower first serve share this time but earned an impressive 79 percent win on it.
"Yesterday was a different match than today's. I knew what to expect from Seppi so it was easier for me to approach this match," said Cilic.
"It was more about how I was going to play. I was hitting the ball very well and found a good balance in my game between hitting my own shots and playing defence. Hopefully I can continue that in my next match."
22-year-old Croat, who is the only local player left in the tournament and can bring the title home, will next face another seeded Italian player, sixth seed Fabio Fognini. He bounced back to overwhelm threat from his compatriot
Potito Starace to reach this spot.
Fognini saved four out of six breakpoints faced and converted five out of nine breakpoint chances to his advantage to pocket the match with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory in one hour and forty-six minutes.
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