US Open 2020: Marin Cilic vs Denis Kudla preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Marin Cilic vs Denis Kudla
Date: 1 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 12:30 pm EDT, 10:00 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports & Hotstar
Marin Cilic vs Denis Kudla preview
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic will look to begin his 2020 US Open campaign on a positive note when he takes on American Denis Kudla.
Marin Cilic has not enjoyed much success for well over a year now and will be looking to make amends at his favourite slam event. The lanky Croat went title-less in 2019 and continued his poor run of form in 2020 having been unable to get past the Round of 16 in any event.
Marin Cilic suffered a shock first-round defeat at the recently concluded Western & Southern Open where Denis Shapovalov knocked him out in straight sets. The Croat looked woefully out of sorts and struggled in all departments. He will need to stage a marked improvement if he’s to do well at this Grand Slam event.
Denis Kudla, on the other hand, comes into the US Open on the back of a string of victories earned in 2020. However, they were almost all on the Challenger tour. Kudla still managed to beat the likes of Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, Ugo Humbert and Bernard Tomic.
The American will look to take confidence from those victories as he is faced with an uphill task against a player of the calibre of Cilic.
Marin Cilic vs Denis Kudla head-to-head
Marin Cilic leads Denis Kudla by 1-0 in the head-to-head.The duo faced each other in the 4th round of Wimbledon in 2015 where Cilic won in four sets (6-4 4-6 6-3 7-5).
Marin Cilic vs Denis Kudla prediction
When on song, Marin Cilic is one of the most fearsome players on the men’s tour. The Croat has staged a great many remarkable victories over several top players throughout his career.
Cilic has a lethal forehand and an even deadlier serve. Blessed with immense power, the Croat blows away his opponents at a devastating pace on his service games. When it comes to his groundstrokes, Cilic revels at hitting it as hard, fast and flat as possible. To put it simply, Cilic can hit winners all day long from all parts of the court.
Cilic excels at dictating the play from the baseline but that being said is also adept at net play due to exceptional mobility for a man of his size.
Kudla will look to use his angular as well as depth-heavy shots to suffocate the Croat and force out a few errors from him. That might give him a set but in the end Cilic should prevail due to his superior attacking prowess.
Prediction: Cilic to win in four sets.