The 14th seed Marin Cilic will play Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of the 2022 Western & Southern Open. Read below for Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic Prediction, Head-to-Head, Preview, Betting Tips and Live Stream.
Alcaraz has enjoyed a remarkable season thus far, winning 43 of 51 games and amassing four trophies. The Spaniard triumphed at the Rio Open and Barcelona Open in addition to winning two Masters 1000 tournaments in Miami and Madrid.
He rebounded in Cincinnati after losing in the second round of the Canadian Open in Montreal the previous week. He defeated Mackenzie McDonald with a dominating 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Cilic hasn’t been in great shape this year, winning just 25 of his 39 games. The Croatian has recently put together a couple strong performances after struggling with ailments.
At the French Open and the Queens Club Championships, he made it to the semifinals. At Wimbledon, he was anticipated to advance far, but he was forced to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19 soon before the Championships started. The 33-year-old played well last week in Montreal, making it as far as the Round of 16 of the Canadian Open before falling to Tommy Paul.
In his opening encounter in Cincinnati, Cilic defeated Spaniard Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-3. He had a more difficult opponent in the second round, as it took him three sets to defeat Emil Ruusuvuori (6-4, 6-7(5), 7-5).
Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic Match Details
Tournament: Cincinnati Open
Date: August 18th
Round: Round of 32
Venue: Cincinnati, USA
Category: ATP 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $970,020
Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic head to head record
On the ATP tour, the pair has faced off against one another twice, with each player winning a match. Right now, the head-to-head match is tied at one.
Alcaraz triumphed in straight sets on their previous encounter in Miami earlier this year.
Also read: Former Roman Champion, Adriano Panatta says, “Carlos Alcaraz needs humility”
Carlos Alcaraz vs Marin Cilic Prediction
With a career-high rating of No. 4 this year, Alcaraz is having his most prosperous season to date. He has been making deep runs in most events, although he has also occasionally lost in the first round.
The 19-year-old plays some strong groundstrokes while spending the most of his matches well behind the baseline. He can chase the ball and participate in longer rallies on slow courts. Additionally, he poses a continual threat to opponents who play near to the baseline like himself due to his deceptive drop shot.
Cilic, on the other hand, prefers shorter rallies and possesses a strong serve. Instead, he aims to win every argument and wrap it up swiftly. Despite the fact that his serve is his most powerful tool, he is currently unable to consistently sustain a first serve %.
Against Russuvuori in his most recent match, he was only able to deliver 50% of his first serves. If Cilic does not increase the consistency of his serving, Alcaraz, who is now among the best returners on the tour, will undoubtedly win the match.
Although Alcaraz is expected to start as the favourite, Cilic cannot be underrated. In light of this, picking the Spaniard to defeat his more senior opponent and advance to the next round should be simple.
Alcaraz is the pick to win in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz last three performances
Canadian Open: Round of 32- l. Paul 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 3-6
Croatia Open: Final- l. Sinner 7-6(5), 1-6, 1-6
Croatia Open: Semifinal- b. Zeppieri 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Marin Cilic last three performances
Queen’s Club: Semifinal- l. Krajinovic 3-6, 3-6
Queen’s Club: Quarterfinal- b. Ruusuvuori 7-6(2), 6-4
Queen’s Club: Round of 16- b. Bublik 7-6(6), 7-5
Broadcast and Live Stream Details
- US – Tennis Channel
- UK – Tennis TV (live streaming)
- Australia – beIN Sports
- Canada – TSN
- India – Discovery/ Tennis TV
