2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic will go up against Roberto Carballes Baena in the round of 16 of the Tata Maharashtra Open on Wednesday.
The experienced campaigner received a bye in the first round and will be playing his first match of the new season. Cilic had a disappointing end to last season as finished with a 3-match losing streak. He has entered the Maharashtra Open as the top seed.
Cilic produced a fantastic result at the 2022 French Open as he progressed to the semis. His run was ended by Casper Ruud in four sets. In 2022, Cilic registered his 550th win on the ATP Tour and also made a comeback in the top 15 of the ATP rankings. He is currently placed at No. 17 in the rankings.
The 29-year-old has already played one match this season. In the round of 16, Carballes Baena defeated fellow Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles in straight sets 6-1, 7-5. The world No. 74 will have to be on his toes when he faced the veteran Cilic.
In 2022, Carballes Baena managed to reach his first ATP quarterfinal on a hard court when he made it to the last 8 at the Firenze Open. This was after he defeated second seed Matteo Berrettini in the round of 16.
The head-to-head scoreline currently stands at 0-0 as the two players have never faced each other as yet.
Prediction: Marin Cilic to win in straight sets.
More Tennis news
Follow our dedicated Tennis page for instant Tennis news and updates