By Chris Oddo | Friday March 3, 2017
Rafael Nadal stormed past Marin Cilic on Friday to book his spot in the Abierto Mexicano final.
Photo Source: Abierto Mexicano 2017
Rafael Nadal moved just one step from his first hardcourt title in over three years with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 throttling of Marin Cilic in the Abierto Mexicano Telcel semifinals.
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Nadal, in red-hot form in 2017, saved all seven break points he faced against Cilic and broke twice in each set to clinch his victory in one hour and 24 minutes. The win marks Nadal’s 14th consecutive winner in Acapulco. After winning titles on red clay in 2005 and 2013, he is making his first appearance at the event since its surface changed to hard court.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
He has yet to drop a set in those 14 victories and he was not challenged today, improving his record to 12-2 on the season. Nadal will face American Sam Querrey in Saturday's final. The American bounced back from a set down to take out No.6-seeded Nick Kyrgios, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Querrey has lost all four of his previous encounters with Nadal, but he has taken a set in three of their four meetings.
Cilic did pick up his game after being broken in the first game of the second set but he failed to convert his break points and fell deeper into the hole when Nadal broke for 5-2.
The second-seeded Spaniard served out the match without any drama in the next game, finishing with his 8th forehand winner.
Nadal made Cilic pay for 49 percent first-serve percentage by winning 62 percent of points against Cilic’s second serve. He finished with 15 winners off the ground to 13 for Cilic and turned in just 17 unforced errors to 31 for Cilic.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
Nadal will face the winner of Friday’s second semifinal between Nick Kyrgios and Sam Querrey in the final.