Tennis Channel recaps the women's semifinals at the Australian Open, where Simona Halep outlasted Angelique Kerber in a three-set thriller and Caroline Wozniacki dispatched upstart Elise Mertens. USA TODAY Sports
MELBOURNE -- At the moment, Marin Cilic, like many before him, can be considered a one-slam wonder as he’s only proven Grand Slam successful when he won the 2014 U.S. Open title.
The power-serving, always offensive-styled Croatian will have another opportunity to change that perception now that he’s journeyed to his first Australian Open final.
The sixth-seeded Cilic advanced to his third overall career Grand Slam final when he ended unseeded Briton Kyle Edmund’s dream Australian Open with a 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-2 semifinal win on Thursday night.
“I'm feeling really, really good physically, even though I had a few matches that went more than three hours,” Cilic said. “I think I played a great tournament so far with my level of tennis.
“I think I improved comparing to the end of the last year. I'm playing much, much more aggressive. I'm feeling that I am, for most of the shots, hitting them really, really good. From the return, moving, forehand, backhand, serving, I think everything is in a good, solid spot.
“Feeling really excited about the final, too,” he added.
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The 29-year-old Croat appeared in last year’s Wimbledon final, where he offered little resistance to Roger Federer in their three-set encounter. Cilic wasn’t feeling in peak condition, and shed tears during that final in which he was treated on-court by the trainer.
“I had one amazing experience in a final and one not so amazing,” he said. “So I had both, emotionally great and not great.
“I think it's gonna help me to stay focused on what I have to do. I have to stay focused mentally and to be ready from the first point on the final.”
Cilic is the first Croatian citizen -- man or woman -- to sweep into an Australian Open final. Even his countryman, Goran Ivanisevic, who won one Wimbledon title in four Grand Slam final appearances, didn’t reach the final at Melbourne Park.
Cilic, who won his 17th title at Istanbul last year, has won at least one tour-level trophy every year since 2008. Undoubtedly, he’d be happy to keep that record going this early in the season with a second Grand Slam victory to his credit.
The prize for reaching the final will be a match against either defending champion Federer, which would offer Cilic a chance to avenge his Wimbledon loss, or surprise semifinalist Hyeon Chung of Korea.
“I would like to play against the player I can beat in the final,” Cilic said coyly when asked which opponent he would prefer.
While Edmund is quickly becoming known for his cracking forehand, that weapon wasn’t nearly prime enough to upend Cilic. The Croat is a formidable ball-striker off both flanks, and Edmund’s potent forehand wasn’t potent enough to counter the 6-foot-6 Cilic’s bigger shot-making.
“Making the semifinals of a Grand Slam is definitely something that I can be very happy with and really take that forward and build from it, for sure,” Edmund said. “I mean, (I) take belief and confidence from it, basically.”
The only minor hiccup CiIic experienced in the semifinals was when serving the opening game. He fell behind 15-40, but saved both break points and never faced another in the encounter.
At the end of the first set, after Cilic broke serve in the sixth and eighth games, Edmund went off the court for a medical timeout.
In the second set, Edmund saved the one break point he faced in the fourth game, a game in which he ranted at umpire John Blom that a ball incorrectly called out had adversely affected him. The 23-year-old’s argument fell on deaf ears.
In the tiebreaker, Cilic scored mini-breaks in the seventh and 11th points to take a two-set lead.
Cilic broke Edmund’s serve at 15-40 in the third game of the third set when the Briton was forced into netting a backhand, and held onto the advantage to guarantee his trip to Sunday’s final.
PHOTOS: Best of Australian Open semifinals
