A rematch of a 2014 U.S. Open semifinal will take place on Wednesday at Wimbledon, when Roger Federer and Marin Cilic meet for the first time in almost two full years. A place in the semifinals is at stake.
Roger Federer and Marin Cilic will be squaring off for the first time since their surprising 2014 U.S. Open semifinal when they clash in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Cilic memorably hammered Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows, a result that propelled him to his first and only Grand Slam title. Still, Federer owns a comfortable 5-1 lead in the head-to-head series having won all of their previous meetings from the Paris Masters in 2008 through the Rogers Cup in the summer of 2014. The two veterans have never faced each other on grass.
“That was definitely one of my best matches in the career,” Cilic said of the U.S. Open stunner. “You know, we haven’t played since then. That could be another good thing for me that I can just look back at that match and know what things I was doing really well.”
Although neither man is by any means a grass-court specialist, the surface and the setting should make for a particularly high-quality affair. Federer, of course, is a seven-time champion of this event and the door is open for an eighth title now that Novak Djokovic is out. The 34-year-old Swiss suffered semifinal losses in Stuttgart and Halle, but he has been in cruise-control mode this fortnight with straight-set defeats of Guido Pella, Marcus Willis, Daniel Evans, and Steve Johnson.
Cilic has now reached the last eight at the All-England Club on three consecutive occasions–even in 2015, when his overall year was a poor one by his lofty 2014 standards. The 13th-ranked Croat took care of Brian Baker, Sergiy Stakhovsky, and Lukas Lacko without any trouble before getting a second-set retirement from Kei Nishikori on Monday. Although the season has been a struggle for Cilic, Queen’s Club may have been a harbinger of things to come at Wimbledon because he scored three impressive victories there before pushing Andy Murray to three sets in the semis.
“I practiced with him when I arrived here at Wimbledon,” Federer said of Cilic. “He was playing great; 1‑2, 1‑2, 1‑2, serving, boom, forehand, serving, boom, backhand. He’s very aggressive. He blew me off the court at the U.S. Open. I know what I’m getting into. He’s really tough to play…. I’ve never seen him serve that consistently well (as he did in New York). He can clearly do it here at Wimbledon, too.”
But the chances of lightning striking twice are slim; after all, Cilic has never recaptured the same form that resulted in by far the most important moments of his career two summers ago. Furthermore, Federer–as usual–has improved with each passing round this fortnight and he called his performance against Johnson “by far my best match.” That sounds like bad news for Cilic.
Pick: Federer in 4
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WWW?
Cilic in 4
wow
Yeah Cilic in 4. Cilic served very well and moved well; very difficult to beat unless he has a meltdown.
This Wimbledon is dominated by big servers – Querrey, Cilic, Raonic, Berdych, Vesely, Tsonga.
won’t be easy for Fed
Cilic in 4 unless Fed starts playing better than he has so far in this tournament.
The thing with Fed supposedly looking so good, is that his draw has been insanely easy. Who was going to challenge him? Even Steve Johnson was never going to have a real chance. It’s easy to look good when you are playing guys who don’t have the game to make a match of it.
Cilic is the first quality opponent Fed will face. He’s certainly got the game to take it to Fed. I don’t expect this one to go as routinely as his previous matches.
Big servers have such an advantage on grass. Cilic has a chance here if he has that serve going. Fed will have to work for this one.
Roger in four but he will need to be locked in. I think this is a good matchup for him unless Marin goes 2014 U.S. Open mode on him and I think he will be very focused and determined to make the semis.
Old age = GG. Roger is 36+ now two years is a lot because the human body declined the fastest between 33yrs to 37yrs. Roger prob will still win but the level between those two is close
Fed in four.
NID.
18 is in the bag. Jacket is already stitched.
I’m more worried about Marin ‘county’ Cilic & Milos ‘the sleevee’ Raonic at the moment tha
Hoping that Roger can take care of these 2 and then gobble up the big fish (Muzz)!
I have a feeling Federer will win it all. Still can’t believe Novak lost, and the only man I see stopping the Fed is Murray, but the matchup is in Fed’s favour on grass. Granted, he had a very favourable draw to work himself into form, but now he’s placed well in the second week, where you usually need to turn in a great performance to beat him.
Yup.
#18NID
Fed is 34 years old. Will be 35 in August. Cilic will be his first quality opponent. Fed. will need to raise his game way above what we’ve seen up to now.
Murray vs. Tsonga. Both are playing well. Tsonga really focused. This may go to 5 sets…Murray squeezing it out to win.
I give slight edge to Maestro. Cilic playing well against an injured Nishi is not a clear indicator of Marin’s level..This one is on Fed’s racquet…unless Fed plays way bellow his usual second week level I expect Fed to win dropping one set maybe
Fed in 4
I’m guessing experience will triumph over hope in this match
Federer in 4
Swiss maestro 4 sure, in 4 sets. This is Wimbledon, not he US..
Yup
Only one thing to say: FED!!!….in 3.
I’d agree Fed in four.This is second week of Wimbledon after all.Might be his last shot at the title,so experience will count.
Cilic in 3. He is getting back to his best and Fed is 35. No one with the body of a 35 year old can compete with the top players.
in 3???????
Cannot compete?!? Fed was semi’s @ Aussie Open and finalist @ Wimby last year – pretty sure he is still competing. Fed in 3 for me. Marin is hot and cold – Rogers variation will be too much for the big man.
Roger in 3 is very possible
Fed isn’t Ferrer lol. He may be 35 but he still plays like he’s quite a bit younger. I mean he’s #3 in the world. Not too shabby for a 35 year old who can’t compete with other top players.
Rooting for Marin and Jo