ATP ROTTERDAM - Coric saves 10 set points against De Bakker, Cilic overcomes Istomin

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What a way to begin the week for the Croatians in Rotterdam! Marin Cilic, Borna Coric and Ivan Dodig have all scored wins to reach the second round of the Dutch tournament.
Second seed Marin Cilic didn’t have an easy start as he needed to pull out his best to defeat Denis Istomin 7-6 6-4.

A very consistent performance from both players on their service games led to a first set tie-break, which was eventually won by Cilic thanks to the first and only mini-break in the last point of the set. The Croatian performed consistently in his service games also in the second set, while Istomin started to struggle and he had to face six break points.

World number 65 managed to pull himself together but lost his temper in the tenth game, where he gave a first match point opportunity to the US Open champion who didn’t miss the chance and qualified for the second round, where he will face the winner of Seppi-Muller.

Borna Coric also reached last 16 but needed some extra work to overcome home wild-card Thiemo De Bakker in a little more than 2 hours and a half. Coric’s performance was remarkable especially in the first set, where he managed to save 10 set points to his opponent, which found himself up 6-3 in the tie-break.

Once won the first set, everyone would have expected an easy road for Coric. De Bakker however was all but defeated, and he lead the whole second set, closing it out by 6-4. In the final set, Coric found again a good rhythm in his service games.

Croatian saved a break point on 2-2 and then took a decisive break in the longest game of the match, converting his seventh opportunity. The job was then done and he easily finished the match, sealing it off by 7-6 4-6 6-3.

The unbelievable day for the Croatian tennis was opened by Ivan Dodig, who outlasted Benoit Paire 6-3 7-6. In the first match of the day Jiri Vesely won the Czech affair against Lukas Rosol, 6-4 6-2. ATP ROTTERDAM Jiri Vesely (CZE) d.

Lukas Rosol (CZE) 6-4 6-2
Borna Coric (CRO) d. [WC] Thiemo De Bakker (NED) 7-6(11) 4-6 6-3
[Q] Ivan Dodig (CRO) d. [7] Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-3 7-6(4)
[2] Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Denis Istomin (UZB) 7-6(5) 6-4 Also Read: The evolution of Roger Federer over the years!