Marin Cilic believes Ivan Lendl is key to Andy Murray winning Wimbledon
3:21pm Monday 25th June 2012 in Sport By Andy Carswell
Marin Cilic, seen here in action at Boodles, believes Ivan Lendl's experience will be key to Andy Murray doing well at this year's Wimbledon
MARIN Cilic believes Ivan Lendl’s calming influence on Andy Murray will help the Scot in his latest bid to win Wimbledon.
Former Grand Slam winner Lendl has been coaching the British number one and Cilic believes that will help him keep his emotions in check as the tournament progresses.
Murray warmed up ahead of Wimbledon by taking part in the Boodles tournament at Stoke Park, where he was beaten by world number one Novak Djokovic.
Cilic was also in action in Bucks but emerged a winner, seeing off Nicolas Almagro in a tense third set tie-break.
The Croatian told the Bucks Free Press after his match: “He’s working with Ivan Lendl and he will give him advice to keep him calm and how to react in difficult moments.
“When Andy goes far, he’s very dangerous. Here he’s going to very motivated to do well. He’s got a good chance.”
Cilic is seeded 16th for the tournament and is in good form on grass going in to Wimbledon, winning at Queens – albeit by default after David Nalbandian’s disqualification – and Boodles.
He came from a set down, losing 6-4 to Almagro in the opener despite saving two break points.
But he found his groove in the second set as he broke back in the sixth game and comfortably saw out the remainder of the set to win 6-3 and take it to a tie break.
That saw an incredible display of brinkmanship as he had to save a match point on the way to both players being deadlocked at 10-10, but Cilic finally broke his Spanish opponent to win it 12-10.
Cilic said he hopes the experience against the number 12 seed will stand him in good stead at SW19.
He said: “It was a tight tie break. It’s not too common to see no breaks at all until 10-10.
“The last two years I haven’t stayed too long at Wimbledon, losing in the first round both times. I have to be focused from the beginning. Even though I won at Queens doesn’t mean I’m going to keep winning.
“I have to make sure I do things right and not get too relaxed or too confident.”
Earlier in the day giant American John Isner won a tie break against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, and there was also a victory for Britain’s Oliver Golding as last year’s US Junior Open winner sprung a surprise with a straight sets win over world number 14 Juan Monaco of Argentina.
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