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Australian Open tennis: ‘Marin Cilic has the game to beat Rafael Nadal’

Mark Philippoussis believes Marin Cilic can cause an upset by beating Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open tennis tournament.

Published on: Jan 23, 2018, 10:19:43 IST
Omnisport, Melbourne | By
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Marin Cilic is “incredibly dangerous” and is capable of shocking Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open tennis tournament, according to Mark Philippoussis.

Rafael Nadal will take on Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open tennis tournament. (Twitter)
Rafael Nadal will take on Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open tennis tournament. (Twitter)

Nadal is the favourite to reach the semi-finals as he prepares to face Cilic on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

(Read | Australian Open tennis: Elise Mertens stuns Elina Svitolina to reach semi-finals)

The Spanish 16-time grand slam champion holds a 5-1 head-to-head record over Croatian sixth seed Cilic.

But Philippoussis, a two-time major runner-up, feels Cilic could stun Nadal in Melbourne.

(Read | Australian Open: Pinch me I’m dreaming, says Tennys Sandgren after entering quarters)

“Obviously you’ve got Roger [Federer] and Nadal, but then you’ve got Cilic, who’s an incredibly dangerous player,” he told Omnisport.

“He’s getting stronger and better with each match he’s played and he has the game to beat Nadal.

(Read | Karolina Pliskova battles past Barbora Strycova, to play Halep in Australian Open quarters)

“It’s going to be a very interesting match.”

Nadal has won the past five matches against Cilic, who last beat the left-hander in Beijing in 2009.

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