NEW YORK (AP) – Defending champion Marin Cilic overcame a tweaked right ankle thanks in large part to 23 aces and returned to the U.S. Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 victory over 27th-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France.
Cilic smacked serves at up to 132 mph, relying on that big shot to carry him in the pivotal third-set tiebreaker. Cilic hit four serves in that tiebreaker and each one was an ace.
The ninth-seeded Croatian has won his past 11 matches at Flushing Meadows, where he reached his first Grand Slam final a year ago.
He rolled his ankle early in the second set but seemed to be moving fine by late in the third, which he ended with a down-the-line backhand passing winner on the run.