Top seed Marin Cilic ‘feeling good’ after solid first match at the Rio Open

ATP Tour

Shahida Jacobs
February 20, 2018

Top seed Marin Cilic made light work of Carlos Berlocq at the Rio Open while fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas also advanced.

Australian Open runner up and world No 3 Cilic needed just 80 minutes to beat the Argentinian qualifier 6-3, 6-2 as he dropped just three points on his first serve.

“I’m feeling good. It was an okay match. It was a solid match, first one on clay,” he told ATPWorldTour.com.

“I wouldn’t say that I played really, really well. I felt that I played well. In the critical moments I think I played my own game, very offensive and overall I think I controlled the match quite okay.”

He will face either Gael Monfils or Horacio Zeballos in the second round.

Fourth seed Ramos-Vinolas found himself in deep trouble as he was down 2-4 in the third set against Rogerio Dutra Silva, but he made a great escape and won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Fifth seed Fabio Fognini was another player who looked set to exit in the first round as he trailled Thomaz Bellucci by one set and was down 0-4 in the second, but he produced a great comeback to win 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-2.

He will face Tennys Sandgren after the American advanced on the back of Roberto Carballes Baena’s retirement.

Meanwhile, Fernando Verdasco is also through after he beat Leonardo Mayer 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

ATP Tour Fabio Fognini Fernando Verdasco Marin Cilic News