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Zagreb Saturday Preview

Zagreb, Croatia

Jurgen Melzer© Neja MarkicevicJurgen Melzer looks to score his second win in five meetings against Marin Cilic.
The ATP World Tour's newest Top 10 player tries to continue his blazing start to 2010 as Marin Cilic takes the court for his PBZ Zagreb Indoors semi-final match today.

Cilic won his fourth ATP World Tour title in Chennai to start the year and only picked up more steam at the Australian Open, going all the way to his first Grand Slam semi-final - upsetting Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Roddick before falling to Andy Murray. He has recovered from that loss this week, storming through his first three matches here without losing a set, and will next take on Jurgen Melzer.

Melzer won their last meeting but Cilic is 3-1 lifetime against the Austrian lefty. While the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds play for a spot in the final there will be an all-unseeded battle in Saturday's other semi-final, as Michael Berrer and Philipp Petzschner meet for the first time on the ATP World Tour.

Petzschner won two of their three prior meetings, all of which have come in Challengers and Futures, but they haven't met since 2008.

SATURDAY SEMI-FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS

(1) Marin Cilic (CRO) vs (3) Jurgen Melzer (AUT)    Cilic Leads 3-1

08 Australian Open (Australia)    Hard    R64    Marin Cilic    6-4 6-3 6-4
08 London / Queen's Club (Gr. Britain)    Grass    R64    Marin Cilic    7-6(2) 7-6(5)
08 New Haven (USA)    Hard    R16    Marin Cilic    5-7 6-4 7-5
09 Vienna (Austria)    Hard    F    Jurgen Melzer    6-4 6-3

Cilic FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
W: Chennai (d Wawrinka); SF: Australian Open (l Murray)
YTD W-L: 13-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: September 28, 1988
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 10

* Cilic, 21, is playing his third ATP World Tour main draw of the year, winning his fourth ATP World Tour title at Chennai and reaching his first Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (l. to Murray in four sets)
* Has a 10-3 career record in Zagreb, including winning his last eight matches in a row here, going 5-0 to take the title last year (d. Ancic in final) and going 3-0 so far this year to reach SF (d. Hajek in 1st Rd., Koellerer in 2nd Rd. and No. 7 seed Karlovic in QF)
* Career-high ranking is No. 10 (achieved this week - career Top 10 debut)

Melzer FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
QF: Auckland (l Clement)
YTD W-L: 5-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 2
Date of Birth: May 22, 1981
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 32

* Melzer, 28, is playing his fourth ATP World Tour main draw of the year, falling 1st Rd. at Brisbane (l. to Ebden), reaching QF at Auckland (l. to Clement) and falling 1st Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Serra)
* Has a 3-1 career record in Zagreb, falling 1st Rd. last year (l. to Korolev) and reaching SF this year (d. Brands in 1st Rd., O.Rochus in 2nd Rd. and Marchenko in QF)
* Career-high ranking is No. 26 (reached on May 18, 2009)

Michael Berrer (GER) vs Philipp Petzschner (GER)    First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings
05 Germany F1     Carpet    QF    Philipp Petzschner    6-3 3-6 6-2
06 Eckental CH (Germany)    Carpet    SF    Philipp Petzschner    6-4 6-2
08 Segovia CH (Spain)    Hard    QF    Michael Berrer    6-1 7-6(4)

Berrer FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
QF: Chennai (l Wawrinka)
YTD W-L: 6-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 1, 1980
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 65

* Berrer, 29, is playing his third ATP World Tour main draw of the year, reaching QF at Chennai (l. to Wawrinka) and 2nd Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Istomin); also won Helibronn Challenger
* Has a 3-1 career record in Zagreb, falling 1st Rd. in 2008 (l. to Haase) and reaching SF this year (d. No. 5 seed Tipsarevic in 1st Rd., WC Jelenic in 2nd Rd. and No. 4 seed Troicki in QF)
* Career-high ranking is No. 51 (reached on November 12, 2007)

Petzschner FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 3-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: March 24, 1984
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 84

* Petzschner, 25, is playing his third ATP World Tour main draw of the year, falling 1st Rd. at Brisbane (l. to Gicquel) and 1st Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Mayer in five sets)
* Has a 3-1 career record in Zagreb, falling 1st Rd. last year (l. to Karlovic) and reaching SF this year (d. C.Rochus in 1st Rd., No. 6 seed Becker in 2nd Rd. and Lacko in QF)
* Career-high ranking is No. 35 (reached on September 14, 2009)

POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS

Marin Cilic (CRO) vs Michael Berrer (GER) First Meeting

Marin Cilic (CRO) vs Philipp Petzschner (GER) Cilic Leads 2-0

08 Munich (Germany)    Clay    R16    Marin Cilic    6-4 7-6(7)
09 Basel (Switzerland)    Hard    R32    Marin Cilic    6-4 6-4

Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Michael Berrer (GER) First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings:
01 Freudenstadt CH (Germany)    Clay    R16    Jurgen Melzer    6-2 1-6 6-4

Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Philipp Petzschner (GER) First Meeting


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