By Ros Satar at the O2, London
- Day session sees Marin Cilic take on Jack Sock
- Winners from Day One, Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev bring down the curtain on the day’s action
LONDON, UK – Day Three at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals beckons with the highlight being the night session battle between Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev.
[table “ADATPWTF” not found /]
Marin Cilic [5] v Jack Sock [8] | H2H: Sock leads 2-0
If Marin Cilic hoped for an easier match after his three-set bruiser against Alexander Zverev on Sunday, he is bang out of luck as he could well be facing another long fight against Jack Sock.
With both players having lost their opening matches, the pair will face off in an attempt to keep their hopes of qualifying alive. Cilic has had a bit of a miserable time when it comes to the World Tour Finals. In seven matches, he has lost six of them, and his commanding position against a struggling Zverev turned on a sixpence as the german capitalised in one tough game to break back in the decider, surging on to win on his debut.
Sock’s debut was fairly brutal at the hands of Roger Federer, and he will take confidence that he has come out on top of their previous two hard fought encounters. Both are heavy hitters, but we saw Sock try and draw Federer into the net on occasion, even if his execution and timing at times were a little off.
Add to that the overwhelming nature of the stage entrances they make, and the sense of occasion – we can assume that the second time around, Sock will be more adept.
In terms of weapons, maybe the edge here goes to the American who certainly seems a little more consistent off his serve and forehand combination, combined with good feel at the net and volleys. If he can master his timing on his second time out, he could further add to Cilic’s miseries at this event.
Prediction: Sock in three sets.
[table “ADPDTATP” not found /]
Roger Federer [2] v Alexander Zverev [3] | H2H: 2-2
While Roger Federer handed Sock down a lesson on the American’s debut, Alexander Zverev found a way to get past an error strewn match to snatch victory from Cilic, to set up a third clash this year.
The pair have played now on all surfaces, and although they split the honours, the last win went to Zverev, as he claimed his second Masters title this year in Montreal. Federer was struggling with a back injury that later ruled him out of the Cincinnati Masters and by his own admission carried over a little, as his US summer swing came to a halt at the US Open early.
Zverev joins a group of just four people to beat Federer this year, and the young German thinks it will be a crowd-pleaser.
He said: “I think anyone beating Federer in this group has a good chance of passing. But he’s the favourite definitely in all of the matches he plays. I played him a few times this year now. I played him three times, if you count the Hopman Cup match we played. Obviously, all of them were great matches. Hopefully it can be another one.”
His precision and persistence could keep Federer out on court for far longer than the six-time champion would like, and after a long three-setter on the opening day, Zverev took himself back out for more hitting.
Not content with three gruelling sets and 125 mins of tennis, Sascha Zverev is back on court, walloping the ball as hard as he can to coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. pic.twitter.com/KhjfpOwOj3
— Catherine Whitaker (@CWhitakerSport) November 12, 2017
A sign of impetuous youth, or a serious commitment to make his mark by giving the World No. 2 a moment of pause?
Prediction: Federer in three sets.
Cilic and Sock are scheduled to play not before 2pm, with Federer and Zverev not before 8pm, all times GMT.
Main Image: Photo by Dave Shopland/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
 |
|---|
| Follow Britwatch - Sport in General, Brits in Particular! | |
|---|---|
| Soundcloud | |
| YouTube | |
| We may receive compensation for products purchased via affiliate links on this website | |