• Injury: Pain defeats Djokovic, fired in boos

Sunday marks five years of Marin Cilic's great glory day in New York. That triumph against Kei Nishikori in the final, played on Monday, was the peak of the Croatian race, which this morning (1:00 hours) is crossed against Rafa Nadal in the round of 16 of the US Open. "I expect a great battle, although I know what I must do to have options," warns the 'number 23' of the ATP, wrapped in recent months in a notorious game crisis and results.

The successes of that 2014 season, settled with four titles (Zagreb, Delray Beach, US Open and Moscow), contrast with the recent caps of Cilic, eliminated in the first round of Cincinnati and Dubai and in second in seven other tournaments, from Miami to Wimbledon In fact, his current record in 2019, 18 wins and 13 trips (58%), is the worst balance in more than a decade. And it is necessary to go back to the 26 defeats in 2008 (59%) to find a lower percentage.

However, Saturday's victory against John Isner (7-5, 3-6, 7-6 [6], 6-4) seems to have reinforced the self-esteem of who only 17 months ago took third place in the ranks. The ability to get out of the 40 aces of the giant Greensboro, is the best symptom of the recovery of Cilic, which could only surpass Nadal in two of the previous eight.

"I must impose my style"

"I must be very aggressive, take very good and take risks to take the initiative. I must impose my style, make it play whatever I want. Only then will I have options," warns the hero of the final Davis Cup final, where he knocked out Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lucas Pouille.

That level shown under cover in Lille also reminded the one exhibited during the 2018 Australian Open, where he tied his most prestigious victory against Nadal. Then, a Spanish injury frustrated the resolution of the fifth set. However, the memory of that duel of quarters still serves as an example for the Zagreb player. "I am going to have to generate a lot of tennis, I must seek to create my opportunities because I know that Rafa will not give me almost any," he said after his aforementioned win against Isner.

"If he's still at the level of Canada, it's going to be difficult for someone to beat him here," Cilic said of an opponent who has only lost one (Wimbledon semifinal against Roger Federer) of his last 22 games.

Without losing your service

Above even this record, Nadal's most compelling argument goes through his physical moment. Freed from his commitments to Gael Monfils in Montreal and Thanasi Kokkinakis in Flushing Meadows, the winner of 18 majors arrives cooler than ever at this point in the tournament.

Freed from those bandages with which he always tried to protect his battered knees, Rafa seems more refined than ever in New York. In his overwhelming victories against John Millman and Hyeon Chung he did not even once give up his service. "The time has come to push and take a step forward if I want to have the option to fight for important things," he revealed after leaving the Korean on the road.

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