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Marathon man Bautista Agut into quarters after ending Cilic challenge
MELBOURNE, Jan 20, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Roberto Bautista Agut came through a
third Australian Open five-setter Sunday to knock out 2018 finalist and sixth
seed Marin Cilic in the fourth round.
The in-form Spanish 22nd seed will play in his first Grand Slam quarter-
final after winning 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in two minutes under four
hours on Margaret Court Arena.
Bautista Agut began his season by beating Novak Djokovic en route to the
Doha title and now faces either defending champion Roger Federer or Stefanos
Tsitsipas for a place in the semi-finals.
He began his Australian Open campaign with an epic five-set win over Andy
Murray, in what could be the three-time Grand Slam winner’s last match
because of a chronic hip injury.
His second round match against Australian John Millman also went the full
distance before a straight-sets third round win against 10th-seeded Russian
Karen Khachanov.
On Sunday he ended Croat Cilic’s hopes of a repeat match-up against
Federer in the quarter-finals after losing to the Swiss master in five sets
in last year’s final.
BSS/AFP/RY/1655 hrs