Marin Cilic vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas: The Spaniard will outlast the Croat

Croat Marin Cilic is up against Spain’s Albert Ramos-Violas in the first round of the Madrid Masters tournament. The big-hitting Croat, who won his 550th match early in the year at the Adelaide International lost to Argentine Sebastian Baez at the Estoril Open in Portugal last week in his second clay-court tournament of the season.

After winning his 550th match on tour down under in Australia, the former world No.3 got to the fourth round of the Australian Open in Melbourne where he lost to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Cilic, who was the 2014 US Open champion won silver in the doubles event at the Tokyo Games. Last year, he also got to the final of the Kremlin Cup where he lost to Aslan Karatsev. He however won the St. Petersburg Open the following week defeating Albert Ramos-Vinolas on his way to the title. Cilic stands at an impressive 1.98m (6’ 6’’) which he uses to his full advantage to launch his aggressive baseline game which is heavily dependent on his serve. His forehand is his biggest armour which he delivers with pace and ferocity. In recent years his backhand has become inconsistent as he heads into the mid-30s. Cilic at 33 has won 20 titles joining an elite group of players that includes the big four and del Potro.

The 34-year-old left-handed baseline won his fourth career singles title at the Córdoba Open when he defeated Alejandro Tabilo in 3 sets in the final. Last week in Portugal, he lost to Sebastian Baez at the semi-final stage of the Estoril Open which he was defending. Ramos is a clay-court specialist like most Spaniards. His baseline game and use of the left hand have similarities to his more illustrious countryman, Rafael Nadal. In 2017, Ramos reached a career-high of number 17 in the world rankings after he reached the Monte Carlo Masters Final.

Marin Cilic has a dominant forehand play best illustrated by his booming serve which has carried him for much of his career. He has beaten Ramos 6 times and lost 3 times to the left-hander. But on clay, they share one win apiece. Ramos is having a decent run in the spring clay season already bagging one title in Cordoba and reaching the semi-final at Estoril. He is a counter-puncher and baseline proponent who can resist the big hits of Cilic on the slow courts of Madrid. Even though the odds favour a Cilic win, we disagree and advise a bet for Ramos-Violas on clay in his home country.

• Ramos-Vinolas to win for 2.00
• Total Games over 21.5 for 1.51
• Ramos-Vinolas to win over 12.5 games for 1.87

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