Cilic Sets Gasquet Clash
Cilic Sets Gasquet Clash
Cilic and Gasquet land contrasting third-round victories in Indian Wells
Tenth seed Marin Cilic has booked a fourth-round showdown with French No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet at the BNP Paribas Open after a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory over Leonardo Mayer on Monday. The Croat improved his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Argentine to 3-0 after the one-hour, 26-minute affair.
Cilic hit six aces and won 83 per cent of first-serve points. He saved both break points faced. It marks the second time he has reached the fourth round in Indian Wells and he will be looking for his first win in three meetings with Gasquet.
The Frenchman earlier posted a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 result against Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov. Gasquet won 82 per cent of first-serve points and broke on five of his 10 chances. It marked his third FedEx ATP Head2Head win in as many meetings with Dolgopolov, an opponent who reached the semi-finals in the desert in 2014 on the back of a third-round upset of then-World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.
Belgian 15th seed David Goffin fought back to deny Argentine Guido Pella 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Goffin had an abundance of break-point chances, but only converted on four of the 18. Serving, he fended off six of the eight break points he faced. He awaits the winner of No. 3 seed Stan Wawrinka and Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.