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Can Roberto Bautista Agut upset Marin Cilic and progress to the fourth round? Join The Roar for live scores from around 6pm (AEDT).
So far at the Australian Open, Cilic has given away games easily and hasn’t met expectations, despite winning both of his opening matches.
He downed Thiemo De Bakker during the first round 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4, then defeated Albert Ramos in straight sets.
The Croat could struggle against tonight’s opponent, Bautista Agut having had a great start to 2016, winning at Auckland earlier this month and being undefeated in his last five matches.
Throughout the Auckland Open, the Spaniard knocked off some of the best players on the ATP World Tour, including world No.11 John Isner, and world No.10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Since arriving in Melbourne, Bautista Agut has played 2 five-set matches. His first-round match-up, with Martin Klizan, saw him take the first two sets before dropping two, then coming back to win 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2. In the second round, the Spaniard sent Dusan Lajovic packing 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The world No.21 may be in better form than his Croatian opponent, although having endured ten sets in his first two matches of the tournament, fatigue may prove his downfall.
The pair have played each other twice on the ATP World Tour, at the final of the Kremlin Cup in 2014 and 2015, with Cilic winning both matches in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Either Australian Nick Kyrgios or sixth seed Tomas Berdych will play the winner in the fourth round.
Prediction
Marin Cilic will be too good for Bautista Agut in a tight match.
Cilic in four sets.
Join The Roar for live scores from around 6pm (AEDT), following the completion of the men’s doubles match between third seed brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, and Mahesh Bhupathi and Gilles Miller, and comment in the box below if you’re watching.
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