Australian Open 2020: Marin Cilic vs Milos Raonic, match preview and prediction
This might come as a surprise to many, but Milos Raonic and Marin Cilic have played each other only thrice. One would have expected two contemporaries with decade-long careers to have met more often on tour, but that hasn't been the case.
It is a big shame too, since the two men resemble each other in terms of playing style, with similarly power-packed games.
There are only about a handful of men who can match a Cilic or a Raonic serve, or even their stinging forehands. And it is precisely these similarities in style of play that make for a very intriguing match-up.
The limited number of meetings between the duo have left a lot to the imagination. It is really hard to say which of the two men would have the advantage in a full-blooded battle.
Maybe their first five-set meeting on Sunday will give us an insight into their abilities to cope with being at the receiving end of the speed and power that they are used to throwing at their opponents.
If the last few matches are any indication, both men seem to be at the top of their game. Collectively, the duo have deliver the biggest upsets of the tournament so far in the men's draw.
While Cilic outlasted two very dangerous looking opponents in Benoit Paire and Roberto Bautista Agut in back-to-back five setters, Raonic was an absolute force of nature in his third round upset of Stefanos Tsitsipas.
We have already seen a fair share of epic five-set battles at Melbourne Park this year, and if both these players bring out the game that they have been showcasing all week, this one could be a blockbuster too.
Raonic will be relying on his raw power and fewer hours spent on court to pull himself through. Cilic on the other hand will try to use his experience of being in big-match situations in hopes of tilting things in his favor.
It is almost impossible to predict the winner of this one, but I'll give it a shot anyway.
Prediction: Cilic to win in five sets.