Alexander Zverev is a masters of the Masters. At 21 years old, he has already won three of these tournaments–including the Internazionali BNL d’Italia last spring. Zverev also triumphed last summer on the hard courts of Montreal and just last week lifted the trophy in Madrid while also finishing runner-up earlier this season in Miami.
Despite a heavy workload that includes a 16-2 record on clay dating back to early April, Zverev has not yet run out of gas in Rome. The world No. 3, who did not lose a set or even drop serve in Madrid, went on a 23-set winning streak before finally dropping one in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over David Goffin during quarterfinal action on Friday. Zverev preceded that result by making straight-set work of Matteo Berrettini and Kyle Edmund.
Zverev’s reward is a sixth career contest against Marin Cilic on Saturday night at the Foro Italico. The German leads the head-to-head series 4-1 and has won four straight at the Croat’s expense since losing their first encounter at the 2015 Washington, D.C. event. Zverev has since prevailed three times on hard courts and once on clay–the latter via a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 decision last spring in Madrid. Three of Zverev’s victories have required deciding sets and they have never played a match that was anything more lopsided than 7-5, 7-6(3), which was the score by which Cilic got the job done three years ago in D.C.
Cilic, a quarterfinalist in Monte-Carlo, is heating up just in time for the French Open with Rome defeats of Ryan Harrison (in a final-set tiebreaker), Benoit Paire, and Pablo Carreno Busta.
“I’m feeling great [after reaching] my first semifinal on clay at a Masters 1000 event,” the world No. 5 said following Friday’s 6-3, 6-3 rout of Carreno Busta. “That’s a good achievement. I was waiting many years for it to happen, so it’s definitely a happy moment for sure.
“I served incredibly well, both on first and second serve. That was extremely important; it gave me a lot of freedom in my game. When I’m serving that well, everything else comes a little bit more naturally. On return, I gave myself a few chances and managed to break. I wouldn’t say it was perfect, but it’s difficult to have an extremely perfect match in the quarterfinals.”
“I think I (have) improved as a player over the years on clay,” he concluded. “Last year I found a really good combination of training and also preparing for the matches.”
Both players have prepared well for this one–Cilic by gaining momentum and winning a quick one on Friday; Zverev in terms of unprecedented confidence. Against a fellow big hitter who will be able to dictate plenty of rallies, Zverev’s run may finally come to an end.
Pick: Cilic in 3
[polldaddy poll=10008632]
who ya got?
Colic in 3
Cilic in 2
Cilic in three.
Very tough match. Zverez in 3.
Cilic in three
Zv still red hot….he’ll win in 2.
Zverez has had a tough draw. He’s certainly match hardened.
Cilic won’t go away. Saved 5 break points now.
Nap time for Sascha. He’s run out of patience with this whole thing. Bad call or not. Really don’t like to see him pitching a fit.
But Cilic isn’t able to finish him off lol
Come on, Marin. Sascha doesn’t know when he’s done. Please
How tough is Zverev, most players wouldve caved in to that assualt from Cilic. Saved 8 breaqk points and multiple set points. Has thrown the kitchen sink at the young prodigy and still came up short.
LoL, this tie break. Marin should have won it. Sascha gets the set.
Rafa will absolutely wipe the floor with either of these two.
Exactly, they just hit the ball as hard as possible! Rafa will give either of these two a different look at the ball. Rafa’s heavy topspin ball will not be easy for them to handle.
Cilic is such a loser! How many times he has set point and yet he can’t buy a first serve to win the set! I’ve not seen a TOP ten player as weak minded as he is!
Sasha is so gutsy compared to him and deserves a place in the final.
Oh so right Luckystar! Rafa vs Sascha. It’s what I picked in my bracket a week ago. He really is a fighter; absolutely doesn’t know when to quit.
Both are just banging the ball back n forth…no much variety and point construction
what happened to zverev..physio touching and massaging his ribs
I think we get the picture Cilic, youre ging to throw everything at Zverev on the basis that Zverev has played a lot of matches and will cave in physically.
I feel like it’s a lose-lose situation for this semifinal. If Zverev wins, his frail body will be cooked after 3 straight weeks of playing until Sunday. He’s never beaten Rafa anyway, and I am never willing to pick someone to beat a player they have never beaten in multiple matches.
And then Cilic is just Cilic and is pretty much a guarantee to lose to Rafa. If this were on a hardcourt or grass, I would give Cilic at least a shot since he technically has the type of game that can trouble Rafa. Definitely NOT on a clay court, though…
I’d like to congratulate Rafa on his 8th Rome title, but we’ve seen miracles occur for underdogs, so I will try to give Zverev/Cilic just a touch of respect… I feel particularly bad not being able to give Cilic any respect as he technically is a proven major champion, and did beat a Big 4 guy en route. You would think that having an achievement like that would make him a true contender no matter who he’s facing, but it’s just not the case! It’s like he just caught lightning in a bottle and was a terminator for 2 weeks in his career. Where the heck is that terminator who was serving bombs, returning bombs, and crushing winners like there was no one even in the other side of the net, for 2 weeks in 2014??
+1
May the fittest one prevail.
Yeah, it’s disrespectful to the competition to congratulate someone before it’s over. I don’t mean to do that. (even tho it appears a safe bet)
Cilic is better on hc. I used to like his game on grass way back when…
Not sure why Cilic has not quite been able to recreate his form and level of US Open 2014. All the stars aligned.
Think we get another Tie Break this set?