Draper knocked out by inspired Cilic

Qatar Tribune

3 days ago

PA Media/DPA
London
Fourth seed Jack Draper's hopes of challenging for a first Wimbledon title were crushed in just the second round by former finalist Marin Cilic.
The Croatian lost to Roger Federer in the 2017 showpiece, three years after winning his only grand slam title at the US Open, but at 36 his best days appeared to be very much behind him.
Cilic rolled back the years with a sublime performance, hitting 53 winners in a 6-4, 6-3, 1-6 6-4 victory, but this will be a bitter pill for Draper, who has elevated himself into the world's top four but is still yet to go beyond the second round at his home grand slam.
British fans could have been forgiven for thinking Cilic had retired, with the Croatian back at the All England Club for the first time in four years.
A knee problem that required two operations and kept him out for the better part of two years might have been the end but Cilic was determined to come back.
His ability on grass has never been in doubt - although unexpectedly this was his first victory over a top-five player on the surface - with the former world number three twice winning the title at Queen's Club as well as his run to the Wimbledon final.
He returned to the top 100, meanwhile, by winning the second-tier Challenger event in Nottingham last month.
From the start of this contest, which strangely was not scheduled for Centre Court, Cilic showed he has not lost the metronomic quality of his flat, deep ground strokes.
Draper might have thought he had dodged a bullet when he recovered from 0-40 in the eighth game, letting out a loud shout of 'Come on', but Cilic played an incredible returning game two games later, ending it with a clean return winner on his first set point.
A chance to get a break of serve at the start of the second and halt his opponent's momentum came and went, and Draper was in deep trouble when he dropped serve again, with Cilic winning five games in a row.
Having been dumped out of the French Open in the fourth round by an inspired Alexander Bublik last month, Draper must have been having deja vu as Cilic continued to play at a level miles above his ranking of 83.
If there was a criticism of the British number one it was that he had been a little too safe with his ground strokes, and going into the third set he suddenly decided to go for broke which earned him the third set.
But the longer the fourth set went on, the more Cilic looked the likely winner. A mishit Draper forehand gave Cilic two break points in the eighth game but the home hope clung on.
But two games later a netted forehand gave Cilic match point, which the Croatian took.