Canadian Open 2022: Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Marin Cilic will take on Tommy Paul in the third round of the 2022 Canadian Open.
Marin Cilic will take on Tommy Paul in the third round of the 2022 Canadian Open.

Match Details

Fixture: (13) Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul

Date: August 10, 2022

Tournament: 2022 Canadian Open

Round: Third round (Round of 16)

Venue: Montreal, Canada

Category: ATP Masters 1000

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $5,926,545

Match timing: Not before 2:30 pm ET, 6:30 pm GMT and 12 am IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sports 18


Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul preview

Marin Cilic and Tommy Paul came through contrasting wins in their respective second-round matches to book a pre-quarterfinal showdown against each other at the 2022 Canadian Open.

Cilic, the 13th seed, had an easier outing out of the two players in the last match. Having come into the tournament with no match practice on the hardcourts, the Croatian has shown astonishingly little rust. He was a comfortable winner over Karen Khachanov, beating the Russian 6-3, 6-2.

The serve played a big part in Cilic's win over Khachanov and he will now look to carry the winning momentum deeper into the tournament.

Paul scored a big upset by beating Carlos Alcaraz in his last match.
Paul scored a big upset by beating Carlos Alcaraz in his last match.

Paul, meanwhile, scored one of the biggest wins of his career by taking out second seed Carlos Alcaraz in his second-round encounter. The American did it the hard way, coming back after dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker to prevail in a three-set marathon.

The win over Alacraz is already Paul's fifth — and by far the biggest — at this year's US Open swing. If he can keep up the level heading into Thursday, Paul could well ask a few questions of Cilic.


Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul head-to-head

Marin Cilic leads Tommy Paul in their current head-to-head 2-0, having beaten his opponent most recently at the Adelaide International earlier this year in a three-set contest.


Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul odds

PlayerMoneylineHandicap BetsTotal Games (Over & Under)
Tommy Paul+100--
Marin Cilic-125--

(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)


Marin Cilic vs Tommy Paul prediction

Marin  Cilic's serve will be key for the contest.
Marin Cilic's serve will be key for the contest.

Cilic is enjoying a bit of a resurgence in 2022, having reached his first Grand Slam semifinal in over four years before returning to the top of the world rankings.

When playing at his best, his big serve and powerful groundstrokes can prove difficult to handle. During his second-round encounter against Khachanov, his serve won him quite a few cheap points — he also won a whopping 85% of all first serve points. The same will be key against Paul.

The American enjoys playing on hardcourts as his all-court is best suited for the surface. While he does not possess the same level of raw power, his superior movement and willingness to come forward and mix his shots make him a threat — as evident in his sensational win over Alcaraz.

That said, Paul will have to find a way to neutralize Cilic's first serve and make inroads into his opponent's service games consistently enough. Unless he can do that, Cilic is likely to power his way through into the quarters.

Pick: Cilic to win in three sets

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