Cilic returns to charm Chennai

After a 4-year gap, world no. 6 from Croatia comes back to the place where he first made his mark

CHENNAI'S A CITY of glitzy cults and giant cut-outs. Of larger than life heroes and hysterical idol worship. In this part of the world, no name once etched in memory is ever forgotten. Nor the achievements of reigning champs that assert their dominance on the SDAT Tennis Stadium in the heart of Nungambakkam, Chennai.

Marin Cilic. It’s a name that hasn’t been heard at the Chennai Open for a while now. Since 2013, to be precise. His name too is often remembered. Fondly. For the Croat is one of those former kings of India’s only ATP tournament. Back-to-back titles in 2009 and a year later accorded him that privilege.

Now he’s back – and for the first time ever as the top seed.

With that high seeding, comes a responsibility. In the south, just as it is in the rest of the mainland, tradition demands utmost respect. Even something as nascent as what a certain Stan Wawrinka started in 2014. As the highest seeded player, Wawrinka won the Chennai Open, and then went on to win a Grand Slam in that calendar year – he did the double three years in a row.

The onus is now on the Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion to continue that tradition. In interviews just a month back, the towering 6foot-6 Croat stated that he wants to win more Slams rather than be just a one-slam-wonder.

Just as it was for Wawrinka, a win in Chennai may be a lucky omen, and the odds are stacked in favour of Cilic to do so too. Ranked sixth in the world, and a part of the Croatia team that finished the 2016 season as runners-up in the Davis Cup, the 28-year-old faces a depleted field in Chennai. For the past few years, organisers of the tournament have been struggling to attract marquee players, who opt for other venues to begin their season – Doha and Brisbane.

While Qatar has no shortage of moolah to attract the bigger names in the sport, Brisbane too has its own perks in being a good lungopener ahead of the Australian Open venue. In fact, Brisbane was what Cilic himself chose to open his 2014 and 2016 seasons. This year, Wawrinka too has decided to go to there.

So Chennai continues to woo that one top 10 player. Cilic is the man this time. And the crowd will no doubt get behind their returning hero.

“You’re automatically a crowd favourite, because the best player brings fans to the stadium,” says Hiten Joshi, CEO of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association. The same is expected of to be the reception for Cilic. “He’s returning with more experience, more class in his play, maturity, and of course, he’s a Grand Slam winner,” Joshi adds.

Indeed, Cilic is among the three players – along with Juan Martin del Potro and Wawrinka (who has done it thrice) – to have upset the trend of the legendary Big Four’s dominance over the Grand Slam circuit. In straight sets, Cilic beat Kei Nishikori to the US Open title in 2014 – becoming only the second Croat, apart from his then coach, the revered Goran Ivanisevic, to win a Slam.

Butthatwasyearsafterhewoninchennai.

Back in 2009, Cilic met the local favourite Somdev Devvarman in the final. “The atmosphere was electric that night,” remembers Devvarman. “As a wild card entry to make it to the final, and for the crowd to see an Indian come so close (to an ATP title), it is one of the most special moments of my life.”

The 31-year-old won’t be a part of the tournament this time around, but he’s confident the crowd will remember Cilic. “They will remember him as a Grand Slam winner,” he says. On that night in early 2009, Devvarman became one of the few Indians to have capitalised on their ‘home tournament.’

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were the first to take advantage, winning the doubles title in the 1997 edition – their first ever tournament win on the ATP circuit. “It’s also been good for Ramkumar (Ramanathan). He made it to the quarterfinals last year. Yuki (Bhambri) too reached that stage a few years ago. But I wish there were more results,” Devvarman mentions.

Ramkumar will have his chance again this year, given that he’s received a wild card into the main draw, along with India’s highest ranked singles player Saketh Myneni.

Bhambri is back for the first time in two years, though he will have to go through the rigours of the two qualifying rounds to make the main draw. As will 27-year-old Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who has been named as the reserve player for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against New Zealand in February.

Yet as the traditions of Chennai Opens past have dictated, there will be an abundance of support for the Indian players.

Cilic will receive that adulation too.

The 28-year-old Croat made his maiden appearance at the event in 2008.