Ružić and Čilić Shine in Canadian Masters Openers
Antonia Ružić fights back to win in Toronto, Marin Čilić dominant in Montreal. Donna Vekić gets a bye in the first round.
Antonia Ružić fights back to win in Toronto, Marin Čilić dominant in Montreal. Donna Vekić gets a bye in the first round.
Croatian tennis players have started their campaigns at the Masters 1000 tournaments in Canada successfully. Antonia Ružić and Marin Čilić have secured their spots in the next round, while Donna Vekić will join them after receiving a bye as the 31st seed.
In Toronto, Antonia Ružić came from behind to defeat France's Lois Boisson 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. The match began on Sunday but was halted due to rain with Boisson leading 5-3. When play resumed on Monday, the Frenchwoman managed to take the first set, but Ružić then took full control.
The Croatian representative broke her opponent's serve twice in the second set and repeated the feat in the decisive set, securing the win after over two hours of play. During the match, Ružić hit one ace, had a 61 percent first-serve accuracy, and converted four of ten break opportunities. After the first set, the 23-year-old from Međimurje allowed the world No. 292 and last year's Roland Garros semifinalist just four more games.
In Montreal, Marin Čilić also advanced to the second round. The experienced Croatian defeated Japan's Shoa Shimabukura, ranked 94th in the world, 7-6(2), 6-1. He gained the crucial advantage in the first-set tie-break and then completely broke the resistance of his Japanese opponent.
Shimabukura had a break opportunity early in the second set, but Čilić saved it and then lost only six more points.
For a place in the third round, Ružić will face the world No. 23 and 19th seed, American Madison Keys. This will be their second meeting. Keys won their first encounter, which took place just over two months ago in the second round of Roland Garros, 6-4, 6-4. Since then, Keys has won the title on grass in Eastbourne and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Čilić faces an even tougher challenge. In the next round, he will take on American Frances Tiafoe, who is ranked 20th on the ATP list and is the 15th seed. In Toronto, Donna Vekić will play for a spot in the third round against Switzerland's Viktorija Golubić, who defeated Australia's Kimberly Birrell 7-6(7), 6-4 in the first round.
