Cilic, de Minaur give new Louis Armstrong Stadium its first instant classic

At the 2017 U.S. Open, the new Grandstand–in its second season of use on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center–got its baptism from Juan Martin Del Potro. Spurred on by a raucous crowd filled with Argentines, Del Potro recovered from a two-set deficit (and a case of the flu) to pull off a stunning 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 fourth-round victory over Dominic Thiem.

“[It was] one of the epic matches of my career here in the U.S. Open, which is my favorite tournament, in front of a great crowd,” Del Potro concluded.

“The crowd was on his side, but it was a great atmosphere,” Thiem said. “I mean, we’re not playing every day in an atmosphere like this.”

While the new Grandstand had to wait more than a year for its first instant classic, there was no such waiting game for the new Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Marin Cilic vs. Alex de Minaur, 2018 U.S. Open, third round, Day 6 of Armstrong’s existence.

Cilic vs. de Minaur channeled its inner Del Potro vs. Thiem, but with plenty of differences–and not just the court on which it was staged. Delpo-Thiem was a day match that spilled into the night; Cilic-Demon was a night match that went well into the morning. Delpo-Thiem packed fans into the Grandstand at a fire-hazard level; only the diehards stuck around for Cilic-Demon. The crowd favorite won the former; he couldn’t quite get across the finish line in the latter.

Both, though, were epic.

In a third-round thriller on Saturday night (plus two hours and 22 minutes on Sunday morning), Cilic battled back from trailing two sets to love and outlasted De Minaur 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 after three hours and 59 minutes.

What the fans lacked in numbers after midnight, they made up for in energy. And how couldn’t they based on what was on display? With an entertaining contrast of styles pitting Cilic’s huge hitting against de Minaur’s incredible defensive speed, the 2014 U.S. Open and the up-and-coming teenager took turns mounting comebacks.

After Cilic won the third and the fourth, the stage was set for de Minaur to charge from behind in the fifth. The Aussie trailed 5-2 before storming back for 5-5 while saving a ridiculous six match points, including multiple on Cilic’s serve. Fans fell more and more in love with the youngster with each outrageous match-point save, starving for a final-set tiebreaker and perhaps even a shocking upset. In the end, though, the Cilic held serve for 6-5 and finally finished off de Minaur with one last service break.

“It was just an insane atmosphere,” the Croat told the crowd. “Well done guys. Thank you. Thank you so much…. (De Minaur showed) Incredible fighting spirit. He was fighting his heart out. It was just an insane match.”

Welcome to the U.S. Open, new Louis Armstrong Stadium. You have officially arrived.

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