Tennis
Cilic knocks Roddick out of Toronto contention
By DPA
Jul 24, 2008, 19:35 GMT

Toronto - Teenaged Croatian Marin Cilic managed the second major upset in less than 24 hours at the Toronto Masters on Thursday as he stunned angry Andy Roddick 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to send the sixth seed out in the third round.

Roddick smashed a racket in frustration after a dispute with chair umpire Carlos Berardo in seventh game if the final set over a re-play in which the official admitted making an error.

But the release of emotion did little for the sixth-seeded 2003 US Open winner, who was never able to close the gap.

Cilic, who has been at the site for a week, staying with coach Bob Brett at the York University campus to train, calmly lined up three match points and fired a forehand winner to take victory in the first in just under two hours.

'I started well and got up a break in the second set but I lost focus,' said the 19-year-old spoiler. 'He was playing better.

'It was windy today and tough to serve. But I got back into it in the third set, went up a break and was able to focus until the end.'

Serbian holder Novak Djokovic, the number three, put out Swede Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-4. Gilles Simon, who upset Roger Federer on Wednesday night in a stunner, won his eighth consecutive match for the first time in his career.

The French champion from Indianapolis last weekend turned in a 6- 3, 6-4 win over Jose Acasuso to advance into a match with Cilic.

He admitted the pace is beginning to tell during the best run of his career.

'It feels nice, but I'm tired. But I suppose you just can't win eight matches in a row without being tired at the end.

'I'll try to win the next one as well, I'm so confident.'

Djokovic is trying to gain ground of his own as Rafael Nadal threatens to knock Federer from the number one ranking he's held for four years.

It cannot happen this week, but the Spaniard is gaining massive ground on the slumping Swiss after beating him for the Wimbledon title three weeks ago.

'I played as much as I needed to play,' said Djokovic, favourite of Toronto's Serbs who pack the stands for his matches.

'I didn't serve well at the start, he put quite some pressure on me. But in the most important moments I played my best tennis.

'That's what matters.'