Cilic-Tsonga : Points worth arguing upon

Marin Cilic overcame Jo Wilfried Tsonga in 5 thrilling sets in the QF which was played  at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday. The defending champion took almost 4 hours to beat Tsonga 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-4. Now, he’ll face his sternest test yet, in the form of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, in the SF on Friday. Here are those 4 things one must recall about the thriller that was witnessed by all :

• The world needs to recognise Cilic

Marin Cilic is easily the most unassuming and a quiet, high-profile player on the ATP circuit. Despite being World No. 9, “star” is the last word you’ll attach with the 26 year-old Croat’s name. This was visible last night when the crowd were vociferously egging on the much more animated Tsonga in the 3rd and 4th set comeback. Cilic admitted as much with customary calm, saying that he had no qualms with it and was just trying to concentrate on the task at hand and keep his cool. Somebody needs to tell the US Open crowd that this is their defending champion! A little more support would be much more like the scheme of things.

• Cilic is unbeatable after going 2 sets up

If you are 2 sets down to Marin Cilic, you might as well go home without waiting for the final nail in the coffin. Cilic’s record reads a handsome 48-0, in Grand Slams, when he has been 2 sets up. Jo Wilfried Tsonga came closest to upsetting it, with a masterful display of crackling groundstrokes and big, booming serves during his 3rd and 4th set comeback. Tsonga had reason to believe too, since he had gone 56 service games without a break. But, the defending champion’s juggernaut marches on.

• Cilic needs to learn to take his chances

It all makes for rosy reading how Cilic is 12 matches unbeaten in the tournament, and now that he scrapped through the thriller last night, the Croat really needs to bury his chances when they present themselves. The Croat missed 4 match points yesterday, in the fourth set, when he had the chance to break Tsonga at 4-5, in the 10th game. He missed, lost the set but somehow emerged victorious. Come Friday, it won’t be a similar tale against Novak Djokovic, when the World No. 9 comes up against his toughest hurdle in the bid to become only the 2nd player since Federer in 2008 to retain the US Open title. Djokovic is known to play with a needle-like precision and his cyborg-like efficiency makes sure to snuff out opponents on the first chance that presents itself. You have to be on your game at all the moments when playing with him. Like Tsonga, he won’t give it all away so easily in the 5th set.

• Tsonga missed a record there

Spare a thought for the crowd’s favourite Jo Tsonga now, who was gunning to become the only player apart from the Big 4 and Tomas Berdych to reach the SF of all the 4 Grand Slams. You couldn’t blame him for thinking that this was his day after surviving 4 match points to storm back to 2 sets apiece after the 4th set. But, it wasn’t to be as the Croat kept his cool to keep his dream of defending his title alive. So, till the next US Open, so long to the record.