A blockbuster quarterfinal on Friday in Basel will pit Rafael Nadal against Marin Cilic. A far more surprising showdown features fellow Americans Jack Sock and Donald Young.
(7) Marin Cilic vs. (3) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Cilic will be squaring off for just the fourth time in their careers and for the first time in more than four years when they clash in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors Basel on Friday. Nadal is leading the head-to-head series 2-1 after cruising 6-1, 6-3 on the clay courts of Rome in 2011. They have split their two previous hard-court encounters with respective blowouts; Cilic dominated 6-1, 6-3 in the 2009 Beijing semifinals before Nadal coasted 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in round four of the 2011 Australian Open.
Despite a mostly disappointing season, Nadal qualified comfortably for the World Tour Finals. The seventh-ranked Spaniard is starting to post improved results, with a final in Beijing, a semifinal in Shanghai, and now a quarterfinal in Basel thanks to three-set wins over Lukas Rosol and Grigor Dimitrov.
Unless he gets an alternate spot, Cilic will not be returning to London–where he made his year-end championship debut in 2014. But that is mainly because a shoulder injury forced him to miss basically three full months of the season. At the moment, the 13th-ranked Croat is playing like a sure-fire top 10 player. He is 17-4 since the start of the U.S. Open and 6-0 in his last six matches, a stretch that includes a title last week in Moscow and straight-set Basel victories at the expense of Marco Chiudinelli and Teymuraz Gabashvili. Cilic has the prototypical game that can trouble Nadal: big serve, first-strike groundstrokes, and a flawless two-handed backhand. And unlike Rosol, he is consistent enough to execute his game-plan.
Pick: Cilic in 2
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Donald Young vs. Jack Sock
It’s not often that anyone–especially not an American–faces three consecutive Americans at a 32-man indoor event in Europe. But that is what Sock will do when he goes up against Young on Friday. The world No. 29 has already taken out countrymen Denis Kudla and John Isner, both in straight sets. A red-hot Sock is an outstanding 34-16 for the season and coming off a runner-up showing last week in Stockholm.
Surprisingly, this is only the second career meeting between Sock and Young, and first at the ATP level. They previously collided at the 2013 Winnetka Challenger, where Sock prevailed 6-3, 6-4. Also back on the rise just like his opponent, Young registers at 49th in the world thanks in part to an improbably dramatic run to the U.S. Open fourth round. The 26-year-old has advanced this week with victories over Henri Laaksonen and Kevin Anderson. This should be high-quality affair with both men extremely confident right now, but an edge goes to Sock based on superior firepower.
Pick: Sock in 3
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Uncle Toni and the others are looking resigned………………
Will be Cilic’s first Top 10 in over a year.
Back to the drawing board for Rafa. Ricky is off the hook. He won’t have to pick him over Fed anywhere anytime.
Hey, it ain’t over yet. Rafa hasn’t quit.
That’s not a helpful comment, if you dont mind my saying so Hawkeyes
Which part? The Ricky part? I’m confisued.
I thought your 1 step FW 2 steps back was epic! 🙂
We have to keep our sense of humour through all this for sure, no?
I agree, hence my response to the effect that Rafa hasn’t given up yet. It’s not over until it’s over!
Hey, ed was the one who said everybody looked resigned. Sheesh. 🙂
Not like you to be confused ?
That’s not a helpful comment, if you dont mind my saying so eds.
I said U.Toni and the team looked resigned. Not us lot. They’ve cheered up now 🙂
BTW NNY you’ve changed your tune. Earlier you said ‘ Somehow I can’t see Cilic not getting it done here.’ 😉
Oh ed no you di’int!
LOL
Okay! Rafa breaks back! Now maybe he will get some momentum going.
That’s what the doctor ordered.
YES! Rafa holds and consolidates the break! He’s not out of this yet. Rafa is hitting his forehand much better now. He looks more focused.
He needed something to change the dynamic and shake things up after losing the first set. Now he looks pumped up again,
Annacone is talking about the adjustments that Rafa has made, going more to Cilic’s backhand and forcing him to hit it on the run. That is what he thinks is the difference now.
i got a lot riding on this and bautista please rafa pleasee
Rafa is more focused now and playing better. What I am really happy about, is that he’s still in there fighting. That’s all anyone can ask of him. He’s not giving up. But his shots have been just that much off today and I think he’s been frustrated by it. The backhand and the forehand have been somewhat off and it’s cost him. But he is hanging in there.
Vamos Rafa!
YES!! Finally! How many times did Cilic DF in that game? This was Rafa’s opportunity
Now Rafa – HOLD YOUR SERVE!
Come on Rafa! You can do it!
Yes, 2nd set for Rafa!
That’s our Rafa. Bravo.
YES!!! Rafa wins the third set. Battling all the way. We are going to a third set.
Well done Rafa!
Rafa knows how to keep his fans alert.
Vamos Rafa!
I predicted this morning we would be in for a nailbiting rollercoaster ride. It’s quite like old times.
Cilic holds to stay alive
or more accurately, “within striking distance”
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSlw1dRUkAAVP-z.png
🙂
What’s happened to Christophe Umlaut?
Must’ve eloped with Mary and RITB I guess.
Do you know him?
Vamos.
Cilic’s serve stats went way down in the second set. More errors from Cilic.
I am so proud of Rafa!
I said right here! It ain’t over until it’s over!
Vamos nadal!!!!!!