Hangzhou Open 2024: Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda preview, head-to-head, prediction and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (WC) Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda
Date: September 18, 2024
Tournament: Hangzhou Open 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Hangzhou Olympics Sports Expo Center
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $1,081,395
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky UK
Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda preview
Former Major Champion Marin Cilic will lock horns with young American Zachary Svajda in the first round of the 2024 Hangzhou Open. Due to a knee injury, the Croatian has been on the sidelines for the better part of the last two years. Cilic has played just four matches on the Tour in 2024, the last of which came at the Argentina Open, where he lost to Laslo Djere in the first round.
The Former World No. 3 is currently ranked 777 as a result of a long injury layoff and loss of form in the last few years. He only played two matches on the Tour in the preceding year in 2023. Therefore the Croatian is coming back on the court after some time, and his physical fitness to complete a Tour-Level match remains to be seen.
Zachary Svajda has won three out of the 10 matches he has played in 2024. The American was last seen in action at the US Open, where he lost to Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets in the first round. However, before that, Svajda made a decent run at the Winston-Salem Open where he reached the Round of 16 as a lucky loser, losing to Pavel Kotov. However, he secured an impressive win over a Top-30 player like Francisco Cerundolo in the earlier round.
Overall, the American player has struggled to consistently make it to the main draws of tour-level events. Barring the US Open, he has not qualified for the main draw for any other Majors this year.
Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between the two players on the Tour.
Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda odds
(Odds will be updated once available)
Marin Cilic vs Zachary Svajda prediction
In his peak years, Marin Cilic won 15 hard-court titles in his career, including the 2014 US Open. The last time the Croatian won one of his hard-court titles was in 2021 in St. Petersburg when he overcame Taylor Fritz in the final.
Zachary Svajda has shown some prowess on hard courts in his career. All three wins in 2024 have come on the hard court for the American player. He also reached a hard-court challenger final at Indian Wells, losing to Blaise Bicknell.
Cilic's injury concerns and fitness issues will be a hindrance for the Croatian in the match, giving the advantage to the young American.
Pick- Zachary Svajda to win in three sets