Here come three championship points. His backhand is as big as his forehand at times which is incredible at his age,” Stubbs told ABC program Offsiders on Sunday. He holds to love. “She got married and refused to take her husband’s surname because her initials with her maiden name are RF,” Salmon reported. #AusOpen, #Cilic raised his level to steal that 4th set from #Federer. Incredibly, Federer only lost two points on serve for the entire set. Fans and media wondered whether “if not” meant the Swiss was planning to hang the racquet up. Federer embraces Cilic, accepts the acclaim of the crowd and then sits down for another good old weep. One year on and Federer has shown we had nothing to worry about. Federer held and the set went to a tiebreak soon after. “When he’s hitting a backhand down the line, if he sees that happening still that will keep him going for another year.”, ‘Incredible’ Federer change amazes Stubbs, Federer’s backhand is one of the most beautiful sights in tennis.Source:AAP. But the game goes to deuce after a Cilic smash. Don’t call out before the point,” he said. I’d like to thank Marin, another great tournament. Croatia's Maric Cilic will meet Roger Federer in Sunday's final of the 2018 Australian Open, with the Swiss bidding for his 20th Grand Slam title. The reverse was the case at Flushing Meadows two years later when Novak Djokovic claimed a thrilling semi-final comeback win over Federer before seeing off Nadal in the title decider. 20 Grand Slam titles. Cilic will join an exclusive club if he is able to cause a massive upset and defeat Federer, having prevailed over Nadal in the quarter-finals when a leg injury forced the Spaniard to retire hurt early in the fifth set. “He’s certainly playing as well as he did eight or 10 years ago,” Laver told AAP. Roger Federer (36, ATP 2) verteidigt seinen Titel an den Australian Open mit einem Fünf-Satz-Sieg über Marin Cilic (29, ATP 6). On the first point of Cilic’s next service game the linesperson called his serve out before it was overruled. SCENES. Third set: Cilic 2-6, 7-6, 2-3 Federer* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared. Another errant backhand makes it 0-40. Today was a tough match. Second-set tie-break: Cilic 3-4 Federer* (*denotes server): Cilic awkwardly knocks a backhand return well wide. So much credit for Marin Cilic, but words can't describe just how good Roger Federer is. Third set: Cilic 2-6, 7-6, 2-5 Federer* (*denotes server): Federer butchers a backhand to make it 0-15, drawing a wince from the crowd. So while the man he had pictures taken with as a kid fights for a 20th grand slam title, Tomic will be mingling with B and C Grade celebrities on reality TV. He challenges the serve. The game goes to 30-all. We shall see.”. But an ace makes it 15-all. I have had ESPN report confirmed by another source. Cilic is ruthless this time, slapping a forehand past Federer. At one stage Federer had conceded six consecutive points while serving. Cilic misses another forehand. Cilic haut die Rückhand ins Aus und das ist das Break! It feels like Federer should have won it in three sets. Not that we needed more proof, but it’s yet another reminder Tomic should have heeded Federer’s words of warning — prophetic as they’ve proved to be — before vocalising his intentions to sit inside the same top-10 bracket the GOAT has occupied for the majority of his career. At 40-15, a whipcrack forehand return from Cilic is a warning. He must be livid. Bei den Damen haben sich Simona Halep und Angie Kerber ein großes Match geliefert - mit dem besseren Ende für die Nummer 1 der Welt. It was long. Roger Federer annihilated Marin Cilic 6-1 in a one-sided first set that lasted less than 25 minutes. “Hopefully he has some variety in string tension in that bag.”. Tomic has never been able to come close to emulating Federer.Source:Supplied. Thanks for reading and emailing over the past fortnight. Nedjeljno […] “I wouldn’t say he’s better but Roger is playing some of his best tennis. Tie-break. https://t.co/qahZegjZy3, Is there any stopping this man?Source:AFP. ROGER Federer won his 20th grand slam title by defeating Marin Cilic in a five-set thriller in the Australian Open final on Sunday night. Federer misses a first serve. “I hope to see you next year, but if not, this was a wonderful run here and I can’t be more happy to have won tonight,” he said. A titanic task awaits Marin Cilic in the Australian Open final as he aims to become the first player to vanquish both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the way to the title at Melbourne Park. Das Finale der Australian Open gegen Marin Cilic ist zwar nicht hochklassig, lebt aber von der Spannung. Thread starter britbox; Start date Jan 26, 2018; Forums. The tension is rising. Just unbelievable. It was well in. Don't have an account? Federer’s never really in the rally. “He’s playing as well as we’ve seen and if he serves big and he serves his spots and he gets a lot of free points on his serve then he will definitely push Roger.”, Marin Cilic needs to bring his A-game.Source:Getty Images. ... Verfolgen Sie das womöglich historische Match von Roger Federer an den Australian Open gegen Marin Cilic in unserem Live-Ticker. It’s another edge,” he said. Between them, the pair won all four grand slam titles last year and have racked up 35 over the course of their incredible careers. . Per Channel Seven, Federer’s average point of contact when returning serve tonight is much further forward than his tournament average. Cilic’s challenge is in vain. All the best for 2018. Since his comeback from a knee injury, Roger Federer has won three of the past five grand slams. After a Federer ace makes it 30-15, Cilic reaches a drop shot by the Swiss before chipping a gorgeous forehand down the line for 30-all. A Federer forehand almost lands long. He's defying age, defying what any of us think should be reality.And he just keeps going... #AusOpen, Federer started the fourth set in ruthless fashion.Source:AFP. Federer was feeling the heat during Cilic’s resurgence, challenging a fault call on his second serve when down 0-30 at 2-3. Federer’s celebration is exuberant. Cilic took more than nine minutes to claim the third game but he held on despite some nervous moments, going 2-1 up. Then Cilic misses a return off a second serve. Angry at losing a challenge, he turned on the linesperson. Salmon told the BBC she “spoke to a Swiss lady outside the arena who follows him (Federer) all over the world”. It’s all over! Can he break? ... Was für ein Return von Federer! He’s so up for this now, working Federer over with the forehand to make it 40-30. Second-set tie-break: Cilic* 4-4 Federer (*denotes server): Federer nets a forehand. After winning last year’s Australian Open, Roger Federer sent the tennis world into a spin with two simple words. What a comeback from Cilic! Rod Laver is taking photos on his phone. An ace makes it 40-0. Broken for the first time tonight and at LOVE. Jim Courier suggested it was merely symbolic of Federer’s humility. He moves to 30-0, Cilic sending a forehand wide. He’ll need to compose himself before his lap of honour with the trophy. He’s annoyed with himself after spooning a backhand wide off a second serve, but the game goes to deuce when Federer sends a forehand long. Roof closed????? Fourth set: Cilic* 2-6, 7-6, 3-6, 0-1 Federer (*denotes server): Cilic looks disheartened. He hadn’t dropped a set all tournament. Sorry, Marin. ROGER Federer was in tears after winning the Australian Open but he’d probably be screaming if he ever met this superfan. But a miracle comeback netted him a fifth Australian Open title in 2017 and he won grand slam number 19 when he triumphed again at Wimbledon later in the year. He’s astonishing. That’s a hell of an achievement and I wish you all the best. Cilic was outplayed for most of the match, but the way he kept fighting was so admirable. “It is unbelievable,” Federer said. He had a lot of chances to take a two-set lead. Now there are doubts. He also beat Cilic in five at Wimbledon in 2016. He clings on to his serve. “That’s given him (Federer) the impetus to go after it and that’s been the difference in his game for sure for the last two years.”. You would have thought in his bag though he would have six to eight racquets and a couple would be strung at different tensions out there for the different conditions.”.