Maharashtra Open: Top-seed Marin Cilic advances to semis

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.