Wimbledon Final: Roger Federer takes on Marin Cilic for the title. (Source: Reuters)
Go back a year and on this very court, Roger Federer had lost and played his last match of the year. Thereafter he took time off to recover and move a year or so forward and the Swiss legend has progressed a step better to reach the final. In his quest to win a record eighth Wimbledon title stood Croatia’s Marin Cilic who had reached the final for the first time in 11 attempts. Not adverse to latter stages of Grand Slams, Cilic has won the 2014 US Open previously. But on the day, Federer looked far superior than and won the title without dropping a set.
Wimbledon 2017 Final Scores and Updates, Roger Federer vs Marin Cilic:
2017 hrs IST: Both players hold fairly comfortably and it is 5-4. Federer serving for the match and Championship. Three big serves by Federer and it is CHAMPIONSHIP POINT. Cilic saves one as Federer sends his forehand long. Another one. ACE! An ace down the tee and FEDERER WINS EIGHTH WIMBLEDON TITLE!
2011 hrs IST: Cilic at 15-40. Chance for Federer to get that important break at 3-3. Federer’s slice slows down on him and Cilic nets the forehand cross court attempt. BREAK! Federer leads 4-3 in the third set
2004 hrs IST: Little blip for Federer from 40-15 to deuce but holds. 2-2 in third set. Some errors creeping in for Federer there.
1953 hrs IST: Cilic’s serve under pressure here. 0-30. A lengthy rally with Cilic making the most of his backhand and finds multiple angled shots to force Federer into an error. 15-30. Thundering backhand winner down the line on a short sliced backhand makes it 30-30. Cilic getting some venom on his groundstrokes and makes it 40-30. Roger with a gorgeous backhand cross court winner to make it deuce but Cilic comes back with his own backhand cross court and Federer nets it. Error on the forehand by Cilic and back to deuce. Cilic nets his forehand – tries to clear the highest part of the net but fails. Ninth forehand UE from Cilic there. Break point chance. Cilic saves it with a nice little serve and volley approach. Deuce. Cilic goes behind Federer twice and the second is a simple winner. Strong serve and he holds to keep things on serve in the third set
1949 hrs IST: Cilic emerges and starts out with a comfortable hold. Federer with his own comfortable hold to make it 1-1 in the third set
1945 hrs IST: Marin Cilic has taken a painkiller. Looks to be a left foot injury. He’s taken a medical timeout. He’s had his toe and bottom of the left foot repadded and taped. Was already well covered
1941 hrs IST: Thumping serve and a Cilic error brings up three set points and Federer closes it with an ace down the tee. He is now two sets up 6-3, 6-1 and the physio and doctors are out to tend to Cilic once again
1937 hrs IST: Yes. Moving more to the net on his serves. Trying something new. Not proving to be completely useful so far. From 40-15 up, it is now deuce with more Federer groundstrokes hitting the deep end of the court. And a glorious backhand winner on the serve brings up break point. Federer mishits his backhand on the second serve and it is wide. Roger challenges but it is comfortably wide. Fastest serve of the tournament – 144 kmph – and Federer gets it back and Cilic sends volley wide. On the break point, Cilic had the whole court open but sends it long instead. Second break of the set for Federer. Looks so out of sorts. Federer 5-1 up now
1931 hrs IST: Cilic with big serve down the tee at 30-30 to bring up game point. Getting plenty of support from the Centre Court crowd and he holds with a beautiful half volley to his side
1927 hrs IST: Cilic is in tears as the trainer has come out. Federer has won 8 of last 9 games. Crowd is cheering Cilic on as he appears out of the towel amid tears
1923 hrs IST: Cilic clearly nervous and it is showing. Federer holds to love for a third straight serve to open the second set. Cilic now under trouble on his serve and he sends the backhand wide to give Roger an early break. Federer consolidates the break with a sliding serve out wide for an ace. He is up to 3-0 in just 9 minutes
1915 hrs IST: Cilic saves one set point with a big serve and Federer’s reply is wide. But Federer brings up another with a quick reply on the serve and then an another by Cilic. An unfortunate way to lose the first set – a double fault that goes over after hitting the net. Federer wins the first set 6-3 in 36 minutes
1908 hrs IST: Federer with beautiful drop shot. Plenty of backspin on a slice and it is a drop shot. Sublime stuff. Cilic follows it up with a double fault and the game has gone from 40-0 to deuce. But two big serves help him to avoid further troubles. Federer with another easy hold and it is 5-3.
1905 hrs IST: Federer follows it up with a hold at love – first of the match and it comes at a fitting time to consolidate the break.
1859 hrs IST: Early contender for point of the match (too early, yes!). Both players scamper, Cilic picks up a drop but slips and Federer clears the net from behind him. And a Cilic error on the forehand brings up three break points. Saves one with a serve out wide and the backhand reply is long. Another error by Federer – this time on the forehand and on Cilic’s second serve. One break point more. Cilic with a tame backhand into the net and Federer has the break. He sits down at 3-2.
1855 hrs IST: Double faults hurting Federer there. And a sliced backhand into the net brings up the first break point of the match. Good kick serve into the Cilic body and the tall Croat, despite the jump, sends his backhand into the net. Deuce. Another error by Cilic on the backhand – this one hitting the top of the tape. A mishit by Cilic and Federer holds. Got away there. 2-2 in the first set
1852 hrs IST: We’re staying on serve as Cilic holds and makes it 2-1 in the opening set
1847 hrs IST: Federer with a less than comfortable serve. A double fault brings up deuce after he missed a few easy shots. Cilic with two errors and Federer holds to bring things level
1840 hrs IST: Cilic serving first in this final. Federer won the toss and elected to receive. Federer wins the first point of the match by attacking the serve. Sign of things to come? Shaky forehands by Cilic. Misses two simple ones – sends one long and another to the net. Deuce. Good serve into the Federer body to bring up game point. Follows it up by forcing Federer into an error. Hold.
1830 hrs IST: The players are now on court and warming up. A reminder, Federer leads the head-to-head against Cilic. The Swiss has won six and lost one but that one defeat saw Cilic lifting the title. Are we going for the same eventuality?
1807 hrs IST: Some are calling it Federer vs Cilic or beauty vs brutality. Here they put the final touches before the stepping up on Centre Court.
1805 hrs IST: Last year these two clashed in the quarters and Cilic led two sets to love, had three match points before Federer came back heroically. Are in for another epic?
1800 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to IndianExpress.com in our live coverage of the men’s singles final between Roger Federer and Marin Cilic. What an exciting prospect we’re in store for! Who are you backing to lift the glorious trophy? Federer for a record eighth time or Cilic for the first time? Meanwhile, Luca Schmetzer from Wandsworth will be the lucky kid to perform the coin toss.
