Croatia’s best tennis player and the third best tennis player in the world dominated Kazakhstan’s best player.
Marin Čilić defeated Mihail Kukushkin 6:1, 6:1, 6:1 and took Croatia to the semi-finals of Davis Cup, where the Croatia national team will host the USA. As of today, it is still unsure which Croatian city will be chosen to host the semifinal tournament, with Zagreb, Split and Zadar as the favorites. The US tennis players secured their home win against Belgium on Saturday, reports Gol.hr on April 8, 2018.
Čilić, just like on Friday against Dmitry Popko, was in phenomenal form to dominate Kazakhstan’s best player. Čilić left Kukushkin, the 92nd best player in the world, without any chance for Kazakhstan to remain in the competition. From the very start, Marin proved that he was deserving of being the third best tennis player and demoralized Kukushkin. Unlike in the match against Borna Ćorić on Friday, Kukushkin had no weapon to endanger the best Croatian player. In two separate matches in Varaždin, Čilic lost only eight games – three were taken by Kukushkin and five by Dmitry Popko on Friday.
Just 38 minutes into the game, Marin took the first set 6:1. Čilić was decisive and firm – and he was aggressive returning Kukushkin’s service, which he took in the second and sixth. Kukushkin managed to get only one game.
Čilić continued with a great play in the second set and immediately took Kukushkin’s service in the second game. He won the second set with another convincing 6:1, and this time, in just 31 minutes of play.
In the third set, Marin repeated the recipe of the previous two – he immediately took Kukushkin’s service and only allowed him a game at 5:0 when he missed three match points and extended the game another 15 minutes. Kukushkin’s greatest resistance in the match was only at the very end.
This was the fourth match between Čilić and Kukushkin and the third victory for Marin, who also celebrated in Moscow (2014) and the US Open (2015). Kukushkin won their first interplay in St. Petersburg ten years ago.
Croatia will host the semifinal match against the USA in September, and the host cities unofficially mentioned are Zagreb, Zadar and Split.
Translated from Gol.hr
