Marin Cilic: is he a sleeper pick at the 2018 US Open?

Two matches in, the question has to be asked — can Croatian tennis great and former US Open champion Marin Cilic take the title yet again?

Marin Cilic is off to the exact start that he was looking for this year at the US Open. He is a former champion at the grand slam, taking the title back in 2014. That year, the Croatian tennis star defeated Kei Nishikori in the finals, winning 6–3, 6–3, 6–3.

He has two match wins under his belt so far at Flushing Meadows. Both victories came in straight sets and he only dropped two games during his round of 64 win. Cilic defeats Polish tennis player Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets, winning impressively at 6-2 6-0 6-0.

Now, Cilic has emerged as a player to beat at the major tournament in Flushing Meadows. He burst onto the 2018 ATP World Tour as one of the veteran greats again taking over the sport. Since then, however, he has cooled off while others such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have overtaken the headlines. Those three have each won the first three major tournaments of the year. Nadal, also being the defending US Open champion, is especially someone to watch this month at Flushing Meadows.

Do not discount Marin Cilic moving forward at the US Open. His success so far is on par with the other top seeded players in the men’s singles field. A former champion at the grand slam, he has the experience and talent needed to make a title run.

While Federer and Nadal remain the heavy favorites moving forward, others such as Marin Cilic could pose a threat. He has been here before and is off to a fantastic start at the grand slam. Stay tuned to see how the Croatian tennis star fares throughout the rest of his time at the US Open.