Marin Cilic did not have an easy debut at the Adelaide International 2. The former World No. 3 needed an hour and 38 minutes to win 7-6(6), 6-2 against Spaniard Jaume Munar on Wednesday. No. 72 in the ATP Rankings and against whom he had no record. The current World No. 29 thus secures his advance to the quarterfinals for the second week in a row.
The Croatian, who was a semi-finalist a few days ago at Adelaide International 1 (l. to Khachanov), must have pushed himself to the limit. Especially in the first round, in which he had to go to a tie-break after wasting the three break points he generated with the return. And in the tiebreaker he needed three set points to take the partial after an hour of intense play.
And in the second set, the fifth seed took advantage of two of his first four break points and saved a 0/40 with his serve when he led 4-1, to finally win after 128 points played in the match (71 won by Cilic), as well as 29 winners, ten aces and 88% of points won with the first serve.
His next opponent will be the American Tommy Paul, who accompanied his successful debut against Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday, beating Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi on Wednesday with runs of 6-4, 7-6(6) in one hour and 35 minutes. Cilic leads Paul’s record 1-0 after winning (7-5, 6-3) last year in Moscow.
Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis also reached the quarterfinals, beating second seed John Isner 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in two hours and 45 minutes. It is the biggest win of his career according to the ATP Rankings since 2018, when he defeated then-World No. 1 Roger Federer in the second round in Miami.
Kokkinakis, who has already reached the semi-finals at Adelaide 1, is chasing the same mark a week later against compatriot Alexandar Vukic, who also entered the draw as a wild card. The Australian beat Steve Johnson 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 15 minutes.
In other results of the day, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech defeated South Korean Soonwoo Kwon 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to meet No. 3 seed Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals, who beat Italian Gianluca Mager by 7-5, 6- in an hour and 10 minutes.
Ultimately, top seed Gael Monfils was unable to finish his second round match against Thiago Monteiro. When an hour and 57 minutes had passed and with the score 7-6(2), 3-6, 0-1, the Frenchman had to leave.
For his part, the Brazilian, who had entered the final draw as a lucky loser, is already in the quarterfinals where he will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who beat Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-2.
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