Tata Open Maharashtra: Top-seed Marin Cilic advances to semi-finals

Pune: Croatian Tennis player Marin Cilic advanced to the semi-finals of the Maharashtra Open with a straight-set victory over eighth-seed Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the quarter-finals at the Mhalunge Balewadi Stadium on Thursday, here.

World No. 6 Cilic came into the quarter-finals after beating India`s Ramkumar Ramanathan in straight sets on Wednesday.

The Croat started the match aggressively, showing credence in his serving and returning well to keep the 26-year-old Herbert at bay in the first set.

The top-seeded player at the tournament won 20 out of the possible 25 service points that helped him in wrapping up the first set 6-3.

In the second set, Herbert tried to make things work for him but his second serve let him down as Cilic won eight out of the nine points on the Frenchman`s second serve.

The 2014 US Open winner outclassed Herbert towards the later stages of the second set and won the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

In the other quarter-final, Gilles Simon kept his pre-season form going as he beat Spain`s Ojeda Lara in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.

It was a good schooling for the 24-year-old Spaniard as he is ranked 198th in the world and had only qualified for the main draw of the tournament by winning both of his qualifying matches.

The 89th-ranked Simon had knocked out defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round in his previous match.