2015 US Open SF: Novak Djokovic vs, Marin Cilic

[Kirijax]

No. 1 Novak Djokovic (Serbia) vs No. 9 Marin Cilic (Croatia)

Head-to-Head: 2011 US Open Champion Djokovic leads 13-0. 2014 US Open Champion Cilic has won five sets in all. He came closest to beating Djokovic in the quarterfinals of 2014 Wimbledon when he led two sets to one but lost in five sets. They have met at the US Open once, back in 2008 when Djokovic won a very close 4-set match in the third round.

Cilic is currently on a 12-match winning streak at the US Open.

Who wins this match?

 

[Kieran]

It depends on a few things. If Cilic continues in his US Open bubble, where the rest of his tennis life and stats don't prevail, he can make this one interesting. But he's dropped 5 sets in his last three matches, which will take its toll if he doesn't win this fast.

And he won't.

Novak is too experienced and has too much previous on him to capitulate, although stranger things have happened. I'm hoping for a classic match, because I like both their styles of play, but I think Novak will beat him in 4...

 

[nehmeth]

If Novak comes out and plays his game, stays on top of the line, and dictates in the way that he is able, he will win it in three.

:nono

Going with Novak in four.

 

[El Dude]

I think Cilic takes a set, maybe two, but Novak prevails in the end.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

The last semi Cilic played here, it was one of the most amazing displays of tennis I have ever seen. He made Roger look like a rookie. It was the most helpless I have seen roger since that RG final.

I do not think he can repeat that though. That was a once in a lifetime performance. Nole will figure him out like he did in the past and win in 4 sets.

 

[Puppet Master]

If the man that won here last year shows up, Novak would be about as helpless as Roger was. But, as we all know, that man is not going to show, even for a minute. I predict that he will be nervous and not hit as freely as he can, and we all know in how many sets that one will finish.
Although, in the 0.005% chance that Marin plays it cool and gets 60% first serves in, we could have a very interesting match on our hands. The fast surface, combined with the much higher bounce than in Wimbo, could be very different from their match there this year.

 

[Denis]

Djokovic in four sets. Maybe 5.

 

[Moose]

Nole in 4. Then it's on to Slam #10

 

[AnonymousFan]

Cilic in 4. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Denis]

Cilic in 4. Hope I'm wrong.

Yeah not too confident myself.

 

[Mile]

I wanted to vote Djoker in 3, but this script put my vote to Djoker in 5 !? Any options to correct it ? Edit vote before game start should be OK.

Djoker will go strong last few games, no slouch, shock&awe till trophy will be in hands.

 

[Backhand_DTL]

The circumstances are quite similar to when they met in Wimbledon with Cilic already having played 2 five setters and 1 four set match and Novak not looking that great in the match before. But Novak's overall form looks worse now, while Cilic probably plays a bit better. I expect Novak to have more problems on serve this time (I think Cilic didn't even had a break point in Wimbledon) but ultimately their history suggests it's a good match-up for Novak and as Cilic's level of play in getting to that stage while good wasn't extremely impressive, Novak shouldn't lose more than one set here.

But after what happened in last year's semi finals somehow anything seems possible...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Cilic sometimes gets into a zone and redlines all his shots and everything goes in. This is what happened in IW 2014 in the first set. Cilic won 6-1. Novak barely won a few points in that set.
For a fleeting moment, I thought Novak is toast especially considering it is a 3-set match.
However, obviously he was not able to sustain that and he lost the match.

The same thing will happen on Friday. Cilic will surely win one set, either the first or the second
and then tail off.

Novak in 4.

 

[Riotbeard]

I think Marin comes out and plays well and pushes Novak to four difficult sets!

 

[isabelle]

Nole in 4, maybe 3 if he plays great

 

[tented]

Nole in 4, maybe 3 if he plays great

I'm going to cheat off Isabelle's paper.

Novak in 4, but it might be 3.

 

[Backhand_DTL]

Cilic sometimes gets into a zone and redlines all his shots and everything goes in. This is what happened in IW 2014 in the first set. Cilic won 6-1. Novak barely won a few points in that set.
For a fleeting moment, I thought Novak is toast especially considering it is a 3-set match.
However, obviously he was not able to sustain that and he lost the match.

The same thing will happen on Friday. Cilic will surely win one set, either the first or the second
and then tail off.

Novak in 4.

If Cilic wins the first set I can really see it becoming an interesting, close match (which Novak might still win in 4), but if he doesn't, considering the effort he needed to get to this stage and that he never has been close to winning against Novak, it's hard to see him having the necessary belief.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

Novak in 4. it's nice to see that Cilic found some of the magic that he had left on the court last year again... but i don't see him repeating that against Novak. Novak to me clearly has entered the most dreaded of domination phases: even if he doesn't play his best, he finds a way to win when it matters the most.

 

[Fefe26]

as much as i love Nole, i want to see someone else win a slam for god sakes. marin in 5.

 

[shawnbm]

Novak in five sets. I don't know why, but I think this going to be an interesting and hard-fought match between these two. Cilic is rounding into form and can blast away with anyone. If he is playing well enough to make it this far a second year in a row, he must be taken seriously. That being said, during the business end of this I expect Nole to get through.