TMF v Cilic

Probably the best looking match of the round given Cilic's demolition of Bernard Tomic in the 2nd round, this didn't disappoint as both players gave the ball some fearful stick in the first set. Federer went walkabout in the 3rd game, falling to 0-40 but pulled it round and then, as we so often see in this sport, broke in the next game. That was enough to secure the set.

The level stayed high through the 2nd after they swapped breaks at the start, Cilic taking it with a break at 5-4.

The 3rd contained controversy. Cilic had matched TMF through the set yet Federer had carved out a break opportunity at the crucial 4-4 score when Cilic was given a warning for time violation on serving. It turned out his average time was right on the limit, so he'd obviously offended quite often through the match but still it was a surprise to see it given since this is hardly called at all. He didn't handle it at all well, hurridly double-faulting. Federer wasn't going to pass that up and served out.

The 4th was a bit anti-climactic as Cilic let his level drop and Federer had a double break at 5-2. Then he put on an exhibition game featuring a crazy drop-shot and the slowest 1st serve ace you'll see for a long time, way out wide to the forehand.

A super match really, won rather than lost, Detail of the statistics tends to suggest Federer had the better of it more clearly than it felt;

Federer first:

1st Serve %: 63 of 108 = 58%; 58 of 119 = 49%
Aces 6; 12
Double Faults 3; 5
Unforced Errors 24; 44
Winning % on 1st Serve; 47 of 63 = 75%; 40 of 58 = 69%
Winning % on 2nd Serve 28 of 45 = 62%; 31 of 61 = 51%
Winners 31; 40
Receiving Points Won 48 of 119 = 40%; 33 of 108 = 31%
Break Point Conversions 5 of 13 = 38%; 2 of 9 = 22%
Net Approaches 23 of 32 = 72%; 14 of 28 = 50%
Total Points Won 123; 104