Marin Cilic completed a set of sensationally shocking semi-finals by upsetting 17-times grand slam winner Roger Federer 6-3 6-4 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the U.S. Open.
Croatian 14th seed Cilic’s opponent in Monday’s final will be 10th seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, who sent world number one Novak Djokovic out of Flushing Meadows with a stunning 6-4 1-6 7-6(4) 6-3 victory.
The powerful 6-foot-6 (1.98 m) Cilic had lost all five previous meetings with the Swiss master but was in charge from the outset, with his booming service game and heavy groundstrokes and Federer failed to find an answer.
The twin surprises created the first grand slam final in nine years that does not include at least one of the recent Big Three of tennis – Federer, Djokovic and Rafa Nadal – dating back to the 2005 Australian Open which pitted Marat Safin against Lleyton Hewitt.
