There is a rematch of a Grand Slam final in the U.S. Open bottom-half quarterfinals on Wednesday, but it is not Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic. It is Marin Cilic vs. Kei Nishikori, while Djokovic runs into unseeded John Millman.
(7) Marin Cilic vs. (21) Kei Nishikori
Outside of the Big 4 or Big 5, Cilic vs. Nishikori is arguably the best U.S. Open rivalry of the current era. These familiar foes have faced each other 14 times heading into Wednesday’s quarterfinal contest, including three times at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Nishikori prevailed 5-7, 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-1 in a five-hour marathon eight years ago, Cilic won 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 two seasons later, and the Croat captured his first career Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 rout in 2014. Overall, Nishikori leads the head-to-head series 8-6 and 6-5 on hard courts.
Cilic was mostly dominant en route to the quarterfinals, hammering Marius Copil, Hubert Hurkacz, and David Goffin without dropping a set. But the seventh seed endured one massive scare, escaping a two-set deficit to withstand Alex de Minaur’s upset bid 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 during third-round action. Nishikori lost only one set in victories over Maximilian Marterer, Gael Monfils, Diego Schwartzman, and Philipp Kohlschreiber. The world No. 19 from Japan is bidding for his third career U.S. Open semifinal appearance, but Cilic still puts him to shame in terms of slam experience with runner-up finishes at Wimbledon (2017) and the Australian Open (2018) to go along with his title at this tournament. Those factors along with Cilic’s power that works extremely well in these conditions should allow him to survive a tough one.
Pick: Cilic in 4
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(6) Novak Djokovic vs. John Millman
This was supposed to be Djokovic vs. Roger Federer when the draw was revealed almost two weeks ago. But as Millman said after beating Federer for by far the biggest win of his career on Monday night, “that’s a great thing about tennis, that’s the great thing about sport: there’s always upsets that can happen.” A monumental upset did happen, as the 55th-ranked Australian recovered from a set and a break down to shock Federer 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3). Millman had never even been to the fourth round of a major in his career, but the 29-year-old earned his shot at the 20-time slam champ thanks to previous victories over Jenson Brooksby, Fabio Fognini, and Mikhail Kukushkin.
Millman’s reward is another night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium, this time for a second career meeting with Djokovic. The sixth-ranked Serb took their only previous encounter 6-2, 6-1 just a couple of months ago on the grass of Queen’s Club. Djokovic is an even heavier favorite this time around, as his comeback from a 2017 injury now includes titles at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Masters. Maintaining his fine form, the two-time U.S. Open champion is back in the quarterfinals following mostly routine defeats of Marton Fucsovics, Tennys Sandgren, Richard Gasquet, and Joao Sousa. It will be tough for Millman to bounce back from such a monumental occasion especially with Djokovic on the other side of the net, so one-way traffic can be expected.
Pick: Djokovic in 3 losing 11-14 games
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Djokosmash.
Yeah. You could sorta smell that one coming.
This match is a “Test of Endurance, heat endurance & Will Power match”.
You know who wins these kind of matches?lol
May the fittest player win today!
Djokovolley
Rafa gets day match vs delpo Saturday
Why are they playing Semis on a Saturday? Two days rest , then no rest before the final.
I mean it’s Friday ..Saturday 130 am for me sorry
Mira I think day better..sun means more pop for Rafa’s fh…it also means more recovery time for final
semis are on Friday
thought so, Silly Saturday is a thing of the past
Sanju!…Rafa gets a day match?Is it good or bad??
Hmm..That’s very true Sanju!….Besides,we can only hope that hot weather can give trouble to DelPo too…Hehe…sorrry DelPo fans!…With Rafa’s condition atm,we need all the help,even from mother nature…
‘Run of the Mill’ man certainly making Nole run…
The US Open used to be a fairly fast low bouncing court, not any more!
The AO used to be a slower court, not anymore! So it’s fair and square!
Wimby used to be a fast low bouncing court too, what about RG?
Lets not forget the YEC
Already forgotten.
#Exho
We are talking about the slams, who cares about the WTF? RG is supposed to be slow but they had quickened the clay court there too. They probably want to make it easier for players to transition from clay to grass as there’re practically not much time for players to get used to grass from clay.
They slowed down the grass to prevent the 1990s servefeast repeating itself in the current era. With players being bigger and taller, hitting with more power esp with the help of modern string technology, the servefest (if they’re there again) would be even more unbearable! And I doubt Fed would be winning 8 Wimbledon.
#LuckyFacts
#PreachIt
Why would fast grass not suit Roger even more than slow grass?
Not that it doesn’t suit Fed, but it favors the big servers/hard hitters even more! Imagine Fed vs Cilic on fast grass! Cilic would have the advantage given how Fed struggled vs Cilic in 2016 Wimbledon 2016. Perhaps even Berdych would have a chance for a Wimbledon title, Roddick too with one or two!
would depend on opponent
The fastest I’ve seen RG was 2009 and we all know what happened then.
Nah, you only felt that it’s faster just because Fed won it! And, Fed was struggling through practically all his matches except the final when he faced a green horn in the final. So much for it being quicker!
RG was getting quicker through the years, not only 2009, it’s from 2009 onwards!!
Even Sampras would struggle then .He must have been in a weak era without many big servers/hitters.
Sounds like the grass goat was really Borg,playing in the era of really fast grass and bad bounces.
Big Al, Sampras didn’t need to face the new string technology on fast grass, and he himself was without the new string technology, if he had he might even be more lethal with his serve!
Big Al likes to cherry pick his data that fits his preformed conclusion and dismiss nonconforming data.
(The 2009 fastest clay comment was epic – Joey Blow would bow to you for that one though.)
#SelectiveBiasIsEverywhere
Reading all the above,it’s clearly meant to devalue Feds GOAT status based on his Slam count (don’t mention the WTF)
All I did was say the US open was slower than it used to be.
Big Al, all I said at the start of all these was that the AO was quickened, so it’s fair and square, when one was slowed down, the other was quickened. You yourself started mentioning RG and Wimbledon, I don’t see why! And, if Wimbledon was being slowed down, the RG clay was quickened, so it’s not always ‘the courts get slowed down through the years’ as many would want to believe.
Ask yourself, what’s your intention of the comment:’ The fastest I’ve seen RG was 2009 and we all know what happened then’?
Djokorest.
Lucky, I said the US was slower , not a reference to any player . You pointed out the AO was faster, which seemed to me to refer to Federers recent success there, and his recent non-success at the US , which has slowed down since he last won it.So, I pointed out the situation at the other majors and the YEC , just for completeness.
Your dismissal of the YEC from the discussion,for reasons I don’t need to elaborate, made me sure you were in Fedal comparison mode, and your comment that you doubted Fed would win 8 Wimbys was a trigger point for my RG comment. Maybe Rafa wouldn’t have won 11 RGs if the clay had been as fast in 2004- 2009 .Maybe he would.
Maybe Roger Wouldn’t have won the YEC if it had been on clay , or all those Dubai/Cinci titles if it hadnt been on a fast hard court.
Ill leave injuries out of this.
Roger in 2009 RG, you say he didn’t play that well to win, but not the point, he deserved a bit of luck having lost only to Nadal the previous four years.
Lucky, why did you make the comment ‘its all fair and square’ ? I never said it wasn’t just said the US was slower than it used to be .
Why can’t I make that comment? Since you can say the USO court is slower now, I can just add that the AO court is quicker now, so it balances everything at the HC slams, so it’s fair.
I’ve never challenged that the USO court isn’t slower than before; this year its slower probably because of the humidity.
And, you’re simply over sensitive. I’m not bothered with Fed winning or not winning the AO or the USO; I don’t see why you need to bring in the RG and Wimbledon, we’re here talking about the HC slams!
In fact it’s the Fed fans who argued that Rafa won the USO because it was slowed down through the years! Strange that Rafa who’s supposed to be good on slow courts, only won the AO once, so that dismissed the idea that Rafa can only win on slow courts.
And WTF or YEC aren’t slams, so really don’t see why you need to bring that in, all because you want to prove Fed’s greatness I suppose?
What has this conversation got to do with Rafa winning the FOs? Anyway, the clay now is quicker than before and Rafa is still winning there, so I don’t see the point that Rafa won’t win during 2005-2008 when Rafa was even quicker and stronger back then.
Actually I wasn’t talking about any other Slam ,it’s the US we’re talking about. It’s the semis of the last major of the year,should just enjoy it and leave comparisons with other Slams until it’s over.
Ballboys/girls r soooo helpful!….All of them!….R they got payed for working at USO?I wish top players especially the winner give something to them as an appreciation…For example give them a simple treat to Pizza restaurant @ McD…It’s sure can make them feel appreciated & happy….And i especially ballboys/girls at USO coz they’re so efficient…Kudos to all of them…
I meant to say…”I especially likes”…
This match will end after 4 to 5 hours. Who has the patience to watch such a long match? Pull your bed out and go to sleep!
DjokoBreak
Actually I wasn’t talking about any other Slam ,it’s the US we’re talking about. It’s the semis of the last major of the year,should just enjoy it and leave comparisons with other Slams until it’s over.