By Erik Gudris | Thursday, August 6, 2015
Defending US Open champion Marin Clic and last year's finalist Kei Nishikori both earned straight sets wins at the Citi Open.
Photo Credit: Citi Open
The road back to the US Open for both men who contested last year's final in New York continued as both defending champion Marin Cilic and finalist Kei Nishikori earned wins at the Citi Open in Washington D.C.
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No. 2 seed Nishikori made it through to the D.C. quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Argentina's Leonardo Mayer. Despite several short rain delays, Nishikori equaled his best showing at the event.
Next up for Nishikori will be Australia's Sam Groth. The big serving Australian beat No. 7 seed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4.
No. 3 seed Cilic continued his week in D.C. as he faced American Sam Querrey in the third round. With serving key for both men, the match ended up needing two tiebreaks.
Cilic took the first tiebreak 7-6(2). The second set tiebreak saw Cilic claim an early lead with this stunning forehand winner.
In press, Cilic said about the forehand, "Yeah I think that pretty much decided the match and it was very crucial to get that mini-break then."
Cilic will next face rising 18-year-old Alexander Zverev who became the youngest singles quarterfinalist since Andy Roddick in 2007. Zverev defeated Alexander Dolgopolov 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
When asked about how he's handled his being a major winner as he enters each new event, Cilic said, "I think it brought out more concentration and to be more professional at that level as much as I can."
And on this year's US Open, 'I'm pretty confident about my game and if I would be looking back at last year at this moment the way I was feeling, I would say I am 30 percent better in the moment than those same days."
Americans Reach Last Eight
A pair of American men reached the elite eight in Washington as Steve Johnson and Jack Sock booked a showdown with each other on Friday.
No. 15 Sock rallied from being a set and break down to No. 4 seed Richard Gasquet of France. Sock eventually forced a final set before closing out the 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-4 win.
Johnson earned his place in the quarterfinals after getting past No. 6 seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Dimitrov later withdrew with a right shoulder injury from his doubles match with partner Mardy Fish.