Casper Ruud vs Marin Cilic: French Open 2022 Semi-Final Head to Head Prediction

A place in the final of the French Open 2022 will be up for grabs as red-hot Casper Ruud takes on veteran Marin Cilic in the first semifinal. 

The encounter will serve as a treat as both players will target a place in Sunday’s final with a potential day with destiny. While Ruud has had a sensational 2022, Cilic’s run has been a surprise package considering he hasn’t had the best last 12 months 

• Casper Ruud will play his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal after beating Holger Rune 6-1, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinal
• Cilic overcame Andrey Rublev in a thrilling fifth set tie breaker, spending more than four hours on the court in a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-2)
• If Cilic beats Ruud, he will be the first player since Andy Murray (2016) to reach the final of all four Grand Slams apart from the big three (Djokovic, Nadal and Federer)

Casper Ruud vs Marin Cilic: Head-to-Head

The pair of Ruud and Cilic will meet for the third time in their career as the Norwegian, seeded eighth, has a superior head-to-head of 2-0. 

However, Cilic has the required experience to upset the odds and cannot be underestimated considering his Grand Slam experience. The pair’s only clay court meeting came at the Italian Open in 2020, where Ruud eased through in straight sets.

Casper Ruud vs Marin Cilic: Player Analysis

23-year-old Ruud was seen floating with fluency with his serve in the quarterfinal match as he won 79 % of first-serve points against Rune. The Norwegian’s dominance was underlined by his 13 aces in the match as he was seen sailing into the semifinal. 

In the entire match, he gave away only six break points compared to his opponents' 17 and will be eyeing a place in the final with his superb technical ability.

Marin Cilic will have a hard task in his hand after spending more than four hours on the court in the quarterfinal thriller against Andrey Rublev. 

Cilic will bank on his superb defense and offense as he amassed an astonishing 88 winners in the match and was lucky to prevail in a fifth-set tiebreaker. While the Croatian will have to work on his serve, it could be the perfect opportunity for him to prove the critics wrong.

Journey so far in the French Open 2022

Casper Ruud –

• Ruud gave a happy send-off to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round, while the second round tie against Emil Ruusuvuori was the only occasion he didn’t drop a set.
• The third-round encounter against Lorenzo Sonego was the toughest challenge as the Miami Open runner-up won in five sets 6-2, 6-7, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
• Hubert Hurkacz, 12th seed also presented a stern challenge before overcoming in 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win.
• While it was the same margin in terms of sets for Ruud when he outclassed Danish star Holger Rune.

Marin Cilic –

• The Croatian was at his stunning best as he showed exit doors to two Hungarian players in the first two rounds, winning the earlier 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 against Attila Balazs.
• The next two encounters then provided a litmus test as he first outwitted Gilles Simon in straight sets.
• The fourth-round win against second seed and defending US Open Champion Daniil Medvedev was a big surprise as it turned out to be a one-sided affair in a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win.
• But it was the quarterfinal win against another Russian Andrey Rublev that was the icing on the cake as he made it to the final four.

Prediction: Casper Ruud to win in three sets against Marin Cilic.