Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev will continue their Monte-Carlo campaigns against unseeded but dangerous quarterfinal opponents on Friday. Cilic is set for a showdown with Kei Nishikori, while Zverev is facing Richard Gasquet.
Kei Nishikori vs. (2) Marin Cilic
Cilic and Nishikori will be squaring off for the 14th time in their careers but for the first time in more than a year when they renew their rivalry in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Friday. Nishikori leads the head-to-head series 7-6, including just 1-0 on clay thanks to a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the 2014 Barcelona quarters. Their most memorable meetings have come at the U.S. Open; Nishikori survived a four-hour and 59-minute affair in 2010 and lost a four-setter that lasted three hours and 33 minutes in 2012, setting up a proverbial rubber match on the biggest stage of all–with Cilic triumphing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the 2014 final.
Their relative drought of head-to-head encounters has stemmed from injuries, which remain a factor for both players. Nishikori’s 2018 campaign has been an abbreviated one due to wrist problems, as he was only 4-3 at the ATP level prior to this week. Picking up the pace in Monte-Carlo, the world No. 36 from Japan earned his place in the last eight by taking out Tomas Berdych, Daniil Medvedev, and Andreas Seppi. Cilic’s week began with a knee injury during a practice with Rafael Nadal, but his luck has turned around in a hurry. The third-ranked Croat faced an injured Fernando Verdasco in round two and got a walkover from Milos Raonic on Thursday. With the jury still out on Cilic’s health, Nishikori should like his chances of running the big guy ragged on a slow clay court.
Pick: Nishikori in 3
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Richard Gasquet vs. (3) Alexander Zverev
Gasquet will be facing a second consecutive Zverev on Friday after preventing a brother-vs.-brother showdown by beating Mischa 6-2, 7-5 during third-round action on Thursday. The Frenchman figures to have a tough test against Alexander, who is sweeping the head-to-head series 3-0. A trio of 2017 meetings went the way of the younger Zverev; 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Montpellier final, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on the grass courts of Halle, and 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) on his way to the Montreal Masters title.
If nothing else, Gasquet has at least managed to be competitive; and there is no reason he shouldn’t be on Friday. The world No. 34 was plagued by a back issue earlier in the spring, but he is now 14-7 this season following three straight-set wins in Monte-Carlo–also at the expense of Jeremy Chardy and Diego Schwartzman. Zverev, on the other hand, required three sets against both Gilles Muller and Jan-Lennard Struff. The fourth-ranked German is looking vulnerable, so Gasquet may be able to ride his one-handed backhand to a minor upset.
Pick: Gasquet in 3
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who ya got?
Cilic in 3;….Zv in 2.
Sascha “plays-with-Britt” Zverev and Special-Kei FTWs.
Hope you are right 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZmlUV8muY&t=0s&list=PL8xUXGytbOQmRs2kqId8UiFB8gEdQ8ojR&index=11
oh golly what a clanger! I meant to post “Games without Frontiers” as Hawkeye got the song stuck in my head now.
Love that song! Was on the soundtrack for this fun family classic!
https://youtu.be/-e6d_gzaDgk
family classic, lol. It was a terrifying movie for me at the time 😀 Well done tho.
Cilic in 3
Zverev in 3
Nishikori and Zverev in three
Big Al why do you like zverev to win?
Better on clay,I think.
🙂
Kei not bad on clay when the stars are aligned right. But he was fussing with his wrist yesterday during the Cilic match.
Zverev FTW, I hope!
But you never know — Kei didn’t appear to be playing his best yesterday but maybe he’ll surprise today.
if nishikori comes back in the 3rd to win this, I will no longer be a nishikori fan. you mark my words. inexcusable..
Is it because he was serving for the match in the 2nd set?
But lost the 2nd set.
It’s because I do not want to watch two players complaining of injury, playing Monte Carlo as if it is an exhibition match. It is disrespectful to the players and tournament. They are essentially exercising for money. I do not ever want to watch these two again for the rest of the year.
Absolutely see what you mean. That match was strange and you just described why.
Kei is acting like his wrist hurts.
Strange match — Cilic acting injured at times in 2nd set too. Maybe neither want to advance – sheesh.
Kei will serve for the match.
made it this time! But that was a strange match, imo. Both too tentative at times.
Yes, I did not like this WTA match at all. I am beyond upset, I just have to not think about tennis today, and avoid most of these players for the rest of the year.
Well I love WTA – there are enough great performances. Even the most consistent players you expect to win, end up losing. WTA is nearly impossible to predict 😀
Great match this one: Monsieur G vs Birthday boy.
This sport, these players, and this website is going to be the end of me. Good luck to everyone. Perhaps I will see everyone next year.
Sorry to read that, Duncan. Bol, whatever you do.
Don’t let a bad performance upset your mood,in sports there will always be disappointments.
Cheer up 😉.
Yep, Kei should give Zverev a w/o. Kei’s wrist needs more time and the w/o would allow a day of rest for Sascha.
Nishi has done this before. I remember last year he was supposed to play in Barcelona and then pulled out. He denied Rafa the #1 seed. He has also had to withdraw in the latter stages of tournaments due to injury.
That match with Nishi and Cilic was weird. I don’t think players should use a tournament as exercise.
Duncan,
If I had let things get to me with this sport, then I would have stopped watching long ago, I sat move on and forget it and look forward to better tennis.
😀
Sorry, should be – I SAY move on! *