Federer makes it 20 majors
Federer was pushed all the way by Cilic but came through a dramatic contest 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 3-6 6-1 in three hours and three minutes.
Roger Federer was on his way to a 20th Grand Slam title. He was miles away from the finish line, but he saw the path clearing ahead of him
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For a set, he had been strolling (the first); for a set, he had been brilliant and brutal (the third), but for two sets, he had been bullied and battered. Marin Cilic was doing what many men have tried to do but failed miserably: he was trying to make the Mighty Federer look beatable in a Grand Slam final.
Now Federer has moved to a new threshold of title victories - for men - of 20. Three women - Margaret Court, Serena Williams, and Steffi Graf - have all won 20 or more.🏆20. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WqUiSo3fd5— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) January 28, 2018
Summary as it happened
Federer began the match in a hurry. He hustled at Cilic's serve, standing inside the baseline to bunt the ball back and paying no mind to the fact Cilic has one of the bigger serves in the game.
He broke Cilic's first two service games as the Croatian was nervous and uncertain in the heavy conditions and began worrying that maybe it was the stringing of his racquet that was the problem. Ordinarily, when you are playing Federer when he is playing like this you might not assume it was the tightness of the racquet that was the problem. The first set was gone before Cilic had time to strum the strings, beaten 6-2 in 24 minutes.
Having gone down in the first set, Cilic became more assertive on serve and aggressive in his shot selection. The third game of the second set was critical. Having been stronger on his last few service games Cilic had to hold his serve or there was a sense the match would be over in quick time. That game took over nine minutes - nearly half as long as the entire first set took, and Cilic held. He then won the set in a tiebreak.
Federer took the next set easily but a change came over the match in the fourth set when Cilic was swinging hard on the return of serve and Federer's first serve left him.
The champion became frustrated and tetchy, admonishing himself loudly at times, sarcastically criticising his play and a decision to call for an unnecessary review.
Cilic had meanwhile hit himself into form. His forehand was booming and his serve was tighter and harder to get back.
Cilic had the momentum when he pushed the match into a fifth set. Federer was fighting himself and Cilic was riding the wave.
You can assume experience was the difference in the fifth set. Federer knew how to get where he needed to go, he had done it 19 times before.
that's it on my side do comment your thought and favorite moment.
Cheers.
He broke Cilic's first two service games as the Croatian was nervous and uncertain in the heavy conditions and began worrying that maybe it was the stringing of his racquet that was the problem. Ordinarily, when you are playing Federer when he is playing like this you might not assume it was the tightness of the racquet that was the problem. The first set was gone before Cilic had time to strum the strings, beaten 6-2 in 24 minutes.
Having gone down in the first set, Cilic became more assertive on serve and aggressive in his shot selection. The third game of the second set was critical. Having been stronger on his last few service games Cilic had to hold his serve or there was a sense the match would be over in quick time. That game took over nine minutes - nearly half as long as the entire first set took, and Cilic held. He then won the set in a tiebreak.
Federer took the next set easily but a change came over the match in the fourth set when Cilic was swinging hard on the return of serve and Federer's first serve left him.
The champion became frustrated and tetchy, admonishing himself loudly at times, sarcastically criticising his play and a decision to call for an unnecessary review.
Cilic had meanwhile hit himself into form. His forehand was booming and his serve was tighter and harder to get back.
Cilic had the momentum when he pushed the match into a fifth set. Federer was fighting himself and Cilic was riding the wave.
You can assume experience was the difference in the fifth set. Federer knew how to get where he needed to go, he had done it 19 times before.
that's it on my side do comment your thought and favorite moment.
Cheers.
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