RICKY’S PREVIEW AND PICK FOR THURSDAY @ NITTO ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS • FEDERER VS. CILIC

Written by: on 15th November 2017
ATP World Tour Finals in London
RICKY'S PREVIEW AND PICK FOR THURSDAY @ NITTO ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS • FEDERER VS. CILIC

epa06328917 Marin Cilic of Croatia in action during his men's singles match against Jack Sock of the USA at the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London, Britain, 14 November 2017. EPA-EFE/WILL OLIVER  |

Ricky’s preview and pick for Thursday at the World Tour Finals: Federer vs. Cilic

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Roger Federer and Marin Cilic will “only” be playing for 200 ATP ranking points and $191,000 in prize money when they wrap up their round-robin campaigns at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday night. Strictly from a tournament perspective, nothing is on the line. Federer is already through to the semis and Cilic is mathematically eliminated.

 

The two veterans have faced each other on eight previous occasions, with Federer leading the head-to-head series 7-1. Cilic famously prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2014 U.S. Open en route to his lone Grand Slam title, but he has otherwise struggled against the GOAT. They have squared off twice since that memorable 2014 meeting, with both of those encounters having come in London–albeit at Wimbledon as opposed to the O2 Arena. Federer survived a five-setter in 2016 before coasting through this year’s championship match 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.

 

Due in part to a back injury, the 36-year-old could not make mincemeat out of the rest of the tour during the hard-court summer like he did at the All-England Club. But now that he is 100 percent again, Federer is clearly the best player in the world at the moment. He is 12-0 this fall with titles in Shanghai and Basel. This week’s No. 2 seed has improved to an incredible 54-12 lifetime at the year-end championship with victories over Jack Sock and Alexander Zverev, dropping one set to Zverev in the process.

 

Federer’s Tuesday night defeat Zverev clinched the top spot in Group B while erasing Cilic’s semifinal hopes. The fifth-ranked Croat really sealed his own fate by squandering break leads in the third set against both Zverev and Sock. He lost his opener to Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 before falling to Sock 5-7, 7-2, 7-6(4).

 

“It is frustrating, absolutely,” Cilic commented. “Definitely (it was) disappointing in both matches in that third set, being in a good position, putting myself in a good position. But, unfortunately I didn’t close it…. I was quite motivated in both matches. I felt that I played well. I know that I wasn’t playing the best, especially in those critical moments I was not coming up with some great shots…. That was just a little bit unfortunate that I wasn’t able to close. I was putting myself in a really nice position.”

 

Cilic was in this same position at the 2016 World Tour Finals, where he was eliminated at 0-2 before picking up his first-ever win at the O2 Arena by beating Kei Nishikori. Motivation will not be a problem for Cilic, who could see Federer try out some different things as the six-time WTF champion prepares for semifinal Saturday.

 

The result should be a competitive contest, but Federer will also be motivated to keep his bid for an undefeated run through London alive.

 

Pick: Federer in 3

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

 

10sBalls Editors Note: This match up is the same as July in London. Marin played ROGER in the Finals of WIMBLEDON. Marin had a foot issue and basically “choked” entering the Tennis Worlds biggest stage. He was overwhelmed by looking at photos as he walked thru the hallways of the All England Club…. and to Roger, that’s his backyard. That’s HIS “Home Court”… He cruised in the clubhouse. Around the clubhouse. His name and photos are everywhere… He is a MEMBER.

Ok, so here we are at the beautiful and blasting 02 Arena. About as opposite stages as one could get. The AELTC versus The 02 Arena.

It should be a great match.

We choose Federer in straight sets. Let’s make it silly. We say two tiebreakers all going RF way. 7-6,7-6

 

Topics: , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.