As a Grand Slam champion and No.9 seed Croatia’s Marin Cilic might have expected a less arduous start to The Championships.
Opponent Brian Baker is ranked No.595 in the world and only got into Wimbledon because of a protected ranking of 59, a deserved acknowledgement for a total of nine years off the tour with an assortment of injuries.
So there was much sympathy and admiration on Court 12 as 31-year-old Baker, without a win on the professional circuit since he came back to tennis at the Australian Open in January, battled bravely for one hour 50 minutes before bowing out 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.
Big-serving Cilic, who won the US Open two years ago, is skilled enough on grass to have reached the semi-finals at Queen’s earlier this month.
Baker, from Nashville, Tennessee, is perhaps the most scarred man on the ATP Tour, having undergone five surgeries between 2005 and 2011 for hip, elbow and hernia problems. His comeback, which saw him reach 52 in the rankings, was wrecked once more in 2013 and 2014 by knee operations which kept him out until January.
So surely not a lot could have been expected against the 6ft 6in Cilic. Baker’s story of suffering meant he could perhaps have expected a kinder draw at Wimbledon, where he last played in 2012. But one thing Baker clearly does not lack is confidence in his own ability.
He also came to this match with a plan – to attack the Croatian’s backhand. This he did with such consistent effectiveness that Cilic needed all his serving strength, which produced 18 aces, to keep his nose in front in a tight opening set in which he dropped only five points on serve.
Today was definitely a bit of an uncomfortable match for me
Baker did not falter until the eighth game, when he was broken to love on a double fault, leaving Cilic to serve out for the set. He reached set point with an ace, prompting his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion, to shout “one more”. Cilic duly delivered and was a set in front after 25 minutes.
The second set almost brought reward for the American’s determination when Cilic faltered under the assault on his backhand. At 2-1 Baker held four break points in a game of five deuces but another Cilic ace averted the crisis. Baker held two more at 3-2 but again the Croatian’s experience and power got him out of trouble.
At the changeover with Baker 5-4 ahead Cilic changed shirts, served out to love with three successive aces, broke Baker and then hammered three more aces to go two sets in front and take control of the match.
“Well, I didn’t think about that as a good luck omen,” Cilic smiled. “But now I will probably change my shirt on each changeover.”
Still on a high, he again captured the American serve at the start of the third set and as Baker began to lose line and length the conclusion of the match was never going to be far off. Cilic stressed afterwards how dangerous it could be to allow sympathy for Baker’s bad luck story to affect his own game.
“You have to be really careful,” he said. “Pay attention from the first point to the last because if you lost your serve a set can be gone very, very quickly.
“Today was definitely a bit of an uncomfortable match for me. It was not one of my best performances but I was keeping it very solid and serving really good when I needed to. I’m feeling pretty confident at the moment and my last few years at Wimbledon I have had good results, so that gives me big confidence. But I still have to deliver on court.”
