Marin Cilic on Sunday won his first title of the year with a three sets victory over former world number one Novak Djokovic at Queen’s Club.
The Croatian tennis star fought back to win the Fever-Three Championships final 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 and claim his second major title.
Cilic had already won the tournament in 2012, but he also lost two finals, including last year when he was beaten by Spaniard Feliciano Lopez after a marathon match.
His business was once again badly engaged and he had to work hard, including saving a match point on his serve in the second run at 5-4 for Djokovic. The latter was also well in the decisive game, where he led 4-1, before giving up the set.
Even beaten, the Serb seems to rise to a week of Wimbledon, after the many snags he has experienced in recent months.
This was the first final he had been playing for a year, the last one dating back to early July 2017 on the Eastbourne turf, where he had offered his 68th title.
“It was a special win for me because sast year I had a match point and I didn’t convert it and this year Novak had it,” Cilic said..
“I was just trying to stay in it, it was tough. I had no break of serve until the last game, I am relieved to win it. I had a great time this week. I waited six years and lost twice in the final in those six years but it is always a pleasure to play here.” Cilic added.
Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic. (Source:www.europe.com)
The situation had continued to spoil for Djokovic, between recalcitrant injury in the right elbow, distance from the courts for six months, aborted return by the need to undergo surgery in February and convalescence.
Since mid-May, the winner of twelve major titles seems to be slowly recovering. An encouraging semifinal at the Masters 1000 Rome, lost after a great battle against Rafael Nadal, cheered him up.
But at Roland Garros, in the quarterfinals, Djoko had suffered a huge disappointment by falling in front of the surprise guest of the last square, the Italian Marco Cecchinato.
For his comeback in London, he had not dropped a set before the final. But he came across a Cilic who was able to rely on his big service in the hot moments.
