Isner sends Cilic tumbling out of Miami Open as Nadal set to return for Spain in Davis Cup
Marin Cilic became the latest higher-ranked player to be eliminated from the Miami Open when the Croatian second seed was defeated by American John Isner yesterday.
Cilic, 29, struggled to get a handle on Isner’s powerful serve as the No 14 seed fired home 12 aces during his 7-6, 6-3 victory to take his place in the quarter-finals.
Isner will take on South Korea’s Hyeon Chung after the Australian Open semi-finalist made light work of Portugal’s Joao Sousa to advance 6-4, 6-3.
In a match of fine margins, Isner proved imperious on serve, winning 41 of 48 points – or 85 per cent – on his first serve.
The American did not face a single break point, and while Cilic offered few openings himself, Isner took one of the two break points offered by the Croatian before serving out the match.
All three of Isner’s wins over the 2014 US Open champion have now come in ATP Masters events and once a first set tie-break was negotiated in windswept conditions, 32 yearold Isner confidently held his nerve to send Cilic home.
“They were tricky conditions in the wind,” 17th-ranked Isner said. “So because of that I was swinging out in the first set tie-breaker. I am so happy to stay in and I am playing so well this year.
“I’ve started slowly over the last few years so this is great. It’s going to be a tough match next but if I’m doing the right things, I can go deep here.”
Following the second round exits of top-ranked Roger Federer and third seed Grigor Dimitrov, Cilic’s defeat means the top three players in the tournament have been knocked out.
Meanwhile, the world No 2 Rafael Nadal, who has missed the Miami Open with a leg injury, is set to make his return to action by representing Spain in the Davis Cup.
Nadal, 31, will top the latest world rankings to be released on Monday, and rejoins the Spain squad for the first time since 2016 for the April 6-8 tie, team captain Sergi Bruguera announced.
Bruguera said that Nadal was recovering well from the injury that has sidelined him since he pulled out of the Australian Open in January.
“I have kept in touch with him and he is going from strength to strength and he is feeling good after his convalescence and he is training more,” Bruguera said.
Nadal last appeared for Spain in the Davis Cup in September 2016.
Pablo Carreno, Roberto Bautista, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez line up with Nadal for the tie on clay against Germany in Valencia.
The winner of the tie will meet either France or Italy in the semi-final. In the other two quarter-finals, Croatia play Kazakhstan and the United States play Belgium.