By Chris Oddo | Wednesday November 14, 2018
Marin Cilic is still alive.
Novak Djokovic is through.
After two days of round robin play the picture is beginning to materialize in the Guga Kuerten Group at the ATP Finals after Marin Cilic rallied to defeat John Isner 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday evening in London.
Cilic fought back from the brink, breaking the American three times in succession to notch his second lifetime win at the ATP Finals.
“I had to just stay patient and just stay focused and I felt that I played really great tennis from the second set and the third set as well,” said Cilic, who traded breaks with Isner early in the opener before breaking critically to regain the edge. “I just felt that I get that momentum towards the end of the second set and I just started to feel the ball.”
Qualification is still in play for the other three players in the group, with Alexander Zverev still holding a good chance to qualify—the German can potentially get in even if he loses to Isner in three sets on Friday.
Cilic needs to defeat Djokovic to qualify, and that’s a tall task as the Croatian has lost 16 of 18 against the Serb (but he has won two of their last four meetings).
“I feel definitely Novak is playing really good tennis and I have to just keep playing well, obviously serving well is going to be critical,” Cilic said. “I hope I’m gonna be ready and have another great match.”
Cilic improved to 8-11 after dropping the first set this season and 2-9 lifetime at the ATP Finals.
Isner double-faulted two breaks to Cilic and won just 18 of his 36 second-serve points.
The American can still qualify if he defeats Zverev in straight sets AND Djokovic defeats Cilic in straight sets.