“Well, when Sijsling came back to 5-5 in the first set I felt rather uneasy. He was suddenly playing really good and hitting slice winners from three meter behind the baseline. Nobody hits these winners.”
With the start of the second round at Umag, also the higher seated players Robredo (2) and Cilic (3) entered the court. Match of the day for the Croatian public and the Dutch tennis fans: Marin Cilic against Igor Sijsling. With a fully packed centre court Cilic showed why he is the number three seated starting with an early break in the first set. However, the Dutch player with the single handed backhand fights his way back to 5-5. Than the Croatian hard hitter strikes again and wins the first set with 7-5. At 3-2 in the second set Cilic makes the crucial break and wins the match with 7-5, 6-3. Sijsling played a pretty good match with a steady serve and a great defense. He produced beautiful slice balls and sudden accelerations long line with his forehand and backhand. If Cilic ever had the feeling that he might lose the match? ‘Well, when Sijsling came back to 5-5 in the first set I felt rather uneasy. He was suddenly playing really good and hitting slice winners from three meter behind the baseline. Nobody hits these winners.’ The most dangerous opponents for the Croat are Robredo and Fognini he tells us. ‘Those players like the condition here, the slow courts and the long rally’s. You know that they won’t blow you of the court and you will have a good chance to compete, but you have to be sharp and physically fit.’ Robredo (2) indeed managed to win of his compatriot Ramos-Vinolas with 6-4 6-4. The first seated Fognini will play Montanes in the second round. In the quarterfinals in the doubles this flamboyant Italian lost with his compatriot Cecchinato of the first seated Austrian couple Knowle and Marach who are still on their way to the title. Two other interesting matches tomorrow are those of the fourth seated and joyful Portuguese Sousa playing Gabashvili and the seventeen year old Croat Coric playing Zeballos.
YOU CAN SEE THE FULL PICTURES AND SLIDE SHOW. CLICK ON ANY PHOTO AND THE PICTURES WILL BE MORE BEAUTIFUL!
