Marin Cilic Leads Winners and Losers at 2016 Western and Southern Open
The 2016 Western and Southern Open was missing top stars like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, but there was plenty of star power to cap a thrilling weekend in the last big tournament before the U.S. Open.
Who would have thought that Marin Cilic would peak in the final to stop the surging Andy Murray? Or that Serena’s No. 1 streak would stay alive when an upstart talent in the WTA crushed world No. 2 Angelique Kerber.
Meanwhile, a couple of underachieving ATP pros scored important victories that could point them in the right direction—just in time for the year’s final major, which is sure to build on the drama from two interesting new winners in Cincinnati.
Loser: Angelique Kerber
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We’re nitpicking with Kerber, but despite a remarkable year in winning the Australian Open and finishing runner-up at Wimbledon, the German superstar is stymied at No. 2 in the rankings after a golden opportunity to seize the top spot.
Kerber got to the final at Cincinnati and needed to defeat No. 17 Karolina Pliskova to wrest away the No. 1 ranking from Serena Williams. Serena's streak at the top had reached 183 consecutive weeks, four weeks away from tying Steffi Graf's record in this distinction.
Instead, Kerber was pounded 6-3, 6-1 by the more aggressive Pliskova. She was out of sorts from the beginning, spraying far too many errors for her defensive counterattacks. She looked tight and too aware of her chance at history.
Kerber, who lost the Olympics gold-medal final a week ago, has been the most consistent player on tour, but she’s not a lock against more gifted offensive players when they play their best.
If she can’t pass Serena at the U.S. Open (Serena was a semifinalist and Kerber was ousted in the third round at the 2015 U.S. Open), the opportunity may not come again.
Winner: Karolina Pliskova
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For the last two years, Czech prospect Pliskova has shown some dominating periods, but she’s struggled to win at big venues. The 24-year-old, who stands 6’1”, has the footwork and power to be a major winner. She got up to No. 7 in the rankings a year ago despite underachieving at majors.
Pliskova has never been past the third round at a Grand Slam event, but she should have plenty of confidence after destroying world No. 3 Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals and then obliterating No. 2 Kerber with a mirror-image score of 6-3, 6-1. She is the champion of the prestigious Western and Southern Open.
She moves her ranking up this week from No. 17 to No. 11 and is one of many talented contenders who must prove that she can be consistent and mentally tough week after week. She's got a thin, muscular, whip-like frame that can generate all kinds of pace and spin, and she could just be entering her prime years.
We can label Pliskova a dark horse to win the U.S. Open, certainly more plausible than betting on Flavia Pennetta a year ago, but she has a lot to prove on the biggest stages. Now might be the time to invest in some of her stock.
For now, Pliskova just needs to enjoy the biggest championship of her career.
Losers: Stars Who Went Down in Flames
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Sure Rafael Nadal was depleted after his inspiring run to an Olympics gold medal in doubles and the semifinals in singles, but he crashed in Cincinnati, falling in just over one hour to young Borna Coric— something we discussed in more depth here.
What about Muguruza’s humiliating semifinal loss to Pliskova? The Spaniard just cannot seem to impose her power and consistency with more than occasional big-match success.
Simona Halep lost her blockbuster semifinal to Kerber, but it was unusual that she pressed for 50 unforced errors in a sloppy loss. It was another reversal in the growing rivalry with Kerber that has seen them battle for big stakes at Wimbledon, the Rogers Cup and Cincinnati.
Maybe Stan Wawrinka should get a mention, except that few people could be too surprised that he went out in the third round to Grigor Dimitrov. The Swiss is an upset waiting to happen as the perpetrator or the victim.
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Winner: Bernard Tomic
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Should we give a little credit to Bernard Tomic? The maligned Aussie has often set himself up as a media target with questionable antics, occasional lack of motivation on the tennis court and generally poor results in big tournaments.
Last week he defeated David Goffin and Kei Nishikori on his way to the quarterfinals.
OK, it’s a start, and maybe it doesn’t deserve more than a few sentences, so we will pull the plug on any potential hype. Let’s see if he can build on a couple of nice match wins and move his ranking deeper inside the top 20.
Loser: Cincinnati Spectator Shoutout
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After rain delays all week, the semifinal between Dimitrov and Cilic was still going at 1:31 AM when fan interference marred a competitive affair between the two talented men who were both looking for their first appearance in a Masters 1000 final.
Dimitrov, serving at 5-5 and 30-40 in the third set, was on even terms in the breakpoint rally when Cilic hit a forehand dangerously long, a ball that smacked right on top of the baseline. Dimitrov, who was initially set up for the routine reply froze for a moment when a spectator yelled that the ball was “out.” Startled, Dimitrov’s forehand merely poked at the ball that sailed too deep on Cilic’s side.
It was terribly frustrating for Dimitrov, who knew that the ball had struck the line but too late after the shameful interference. He plead his case to no avail to the chair umpire who could only remind the crowd to refrain from calling out during the points.
What a terrible split-second predicament for Dimitrov, and what a horrible act from a spectator who should be banned from the Cincinnati tournament for life. While Cilic earned his way to the final by seizing that point and serving out the match, the effect of the interference was truly an ugly response that might have cost the Bulgarian the match and a chance to compete against Murray for the prestigious title.
Winner: Grigor Dimitrov
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Dimitrov may have risen out of the ashes of his disappointing two-year stretch. The 25-year-old Bulgarian, who has all the speed and strength to be a special champion, looked to be the next big thing in tennis in August 2014 following semifinals appearances at Rome, Wimbledon and the Rogers Cup. He peaked at No. 8 in the rankings.
Then a gradual slide saw him slip quietly out of contention in the ATP. In summer 2015, Dimitrov changed coaches and stopped dating Maria Sharapova.
“Now I'm concentrated entirely on the game and I'm sure the results will soon be seen,” Dimitrov said, per Reuters. “This is the summer of the new beginning for me.
Except that Dimitrov continued to decline the past year. His ranking was No. 34 heading into the Western and Southern Open, and he had been exposed in a couple ways. First, his backhand has been weak, a one-hander that often pushed out short, wounded balls that his opponents have exploited. Second, he has been a conservative defender rather than an aggressive offender.
But Dimitrov put together an impressive week, all against dangerous top players. He defeated Gilles Simon, Feliciano Lopez, Wawrinka and Steve Johnson before losing a narrow three-setter to Cilic in the final frame.
Best of all, Dimitrov hit with more swagger and bite. He attacked on the fast surface at Cincinnati with more offensive punch and mental toughness. Maybe he can follow up at the U.S. Open with a strong second-week run, but of course, the draw will determine in part just how tough this task will be.
He moves his ranking up 10 slots to No. 24.
Loser: Andy Murray
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If Djokovic lost the Cincinnati final, the headlines would certainly take note. While the Serb was sidelined, his No. 1-proxy Murray was expected to cruise for the big title. He likes the fast surface and did not have to face a real threat until sailing past Milos Raonic in the semifinal.
Then he got dusted by Cilic in the final. He could do nothing to establish his advantages, that is he could not effectively move the Croatian to the corners. It’s a reminder that for all of his skills and variety, another star with a bigger weapon (Cilic’s power) can handcuff the Scot on the wrong day.
Murray is still light-years from catching Djokovic’s No. 1 ranking, and he could have used this momentum for a more formidable awakening at the upcoming U.S. Open.
The ATP tour is strong, and really this is only a minor upset, but Murray cannot escape the “loser” tag after a fairly feeble final match that saw him chatter with more frustration at the chair umpire.
The wake-up call has been delivered.
Winner: Marin Cilic
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All credit to Cilic’s masterful week. The Croatian seems to like playing in the United States, where he won the biggest title of his career, the 2014 U.S. Open. In July, he was a hero in helping the Croatians overcome the Americans in Portland, Oregon, during the Davis Cup.
This week, he polished off the Western and Southern Open with a resounding display of power tennis on a fast surface that suits his serve and forehand so well. He defeated several worthy opponents on his way to the final but saved his best in ripping through Murray 6-4, 7-5.
His forehand dominated the scampering Scot, and extra hustle and precision helped him play like he had been pulled out of the 2014 U.S. Open time capsule.
Cilic is an underrated athlete with much better foot speed than it might appear. He has a big frame, but he anticipated and moved extremely well against the fleet-footed Murray, usually imposing his will with heavier groundstrokes.
The joy on Cilic’s face in winning was a delight to see. Here’s a top player who consistently takes extra time to sign autographs for fans, win or lose. After his victory over Dimitrov in the semifinal, he later went to his bag to get a souvenir towel for a fan that was courtside.
He deserves to be celebrated for his world-class tennis. Already a proven threat for the U.S. Open, Cilic could be a top-five player on a consistent basis if he stays healthy and wins some of those close big matches that make the difference.
Well done for his first Masters 1000 trophy, even if it looks more like a giant flower vase. At least he can stop and smell the roses of sweet victory and place the memory inside his new hardware.
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