Marin Cilic uses power game to overwhelm No. 5 Andrey Rublev in third round of Australian Open

ByMattias Karen

Updated 22/01/2022 at 17:15 GMT

The former US Open champion overcame a wobble in the third set to see off the hard-hitting Russian and showed he can still compete with the top players at big events. Marin Cilic didn't get past the third round of any Grand Slam last year but said he's getting back to his best again. Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on demand on discovery+.

Marin Cilic put on a relentless display of power hitting to overwhelm world No. 5 Andrey Rublev in the third round of the Australian Open, and then warned his rivals that he can still beat anyone in the big tournaments.

Cilic bounced back from a wobble in the third set to beat Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3, using his 24th ace to convert his first match point and move into the second week.

Cilic never allowed Rublev to find his rhythm in the first two sets and looked to be headed for a dominant victory when he broke for a 2-1 lead in the third. The former US Open champion, who reached the Australian Open final in 2018, then missed two break points to go 4-1 up – and that created a major momentum shift as Rublev suddenly came roaring back.

Australian Open

Tennis Australia reveal 'summer of tennis' calendar ahead of Australian Open

01/12/2022 at 09:49

The Russian then reeled off two straight breaks of his own to fight his way back into the match. But Cilic never wavered in the fourth set.

He broke for a 3-1 lead when Rublev missed a forehand and never gave his opponent another chance for a comeback.

It was a performance that signalled that Cilic is once again a force to be reckoned with after failing to get past the third round in any of the four Grand Slam tournaments last year, when he lost in the first round in Melbourne.

“I’m getting there. Obviously today’s match was an incredible level, and I played from the start to the finish with great excitement," Cilic told Eurosport. "And that’s the way to go against these guys, especially Andrey, who is lining up a lot of the balls and if you’re playing a bit too passive it’s going to be a difficult day. So I knew I had to serve well.

Cilic said he kept his cool after missing his chances in the third set.

"It didn’t go my way, but I felt that Andrey also played quite a good match," he said. "He didn’t give me too much and he served really really well. I had to take it out of his hands."

Cilic will next face No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and is eager to show that he can still beat anyone on the big stage.

"I’m as committed as ever," he said. "I’m that kind of a player where it doesn’t matter who I play, if I get into good form I’m going to be playing really well. And I had a good start to the season … and that just builds up confidence gradually. And that’s been really the key for me."

'First strike in' - Cilic and Rublev in big-hitting opening rally

- - -

Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on demand on discovery+. A subscription for discovery+ is now £29.99 for the first year for UK users, down from £59.99

Australian Open

Five burning questions with 50 days to go until 2023 Australian Open

28/11/2022 at 07:11

Australian Open

Djokovic 'heavy favourite' for Aus Open, 'still No. 1 player in world' - Woodbridge

24/11/2022 at 11:09

Australian Open

Wilander predicts how long Nadal has left in tennis before retirement

24/11/2022 at 07:21