Marin Cilic vs Casper Ruud Preview & Prediction | 2026 Australian Open | Third Round
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Marin Cilic faces Casper Ruud at the 2026 Australian Open.
Start date/time:
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor hard
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Marin Cilic vs Casper Ruud ticket information
Marin Cilic vs Casper Ruud prediction
Casper Ruud will target a 'high five' when he takes on Marin Cilic for a place in the round of 16.
The Norwegian owns a flawless 4-0 record against the veteran former US Open champion and will be confident of maintaining that streak given how well he has played Down Under so far this year.
Ruud has yet to drop serve, let alone a set, and is playing the sort of tennis that evokes memories of how he reached number two in the world.
However, the 12th seed will have noticed Cilic’s impressive level too. The Croatian has powered through two matches in straight sets and bagged a double bagel against Daniel Altmaier.
Last time out, a 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory over the dangerous Denis Shapovalov also caught the eye and if the 37-year-old world number 70 serves well on the day, he can be a very tough cookie to break.
Ruud is on alert to leave Melbourne Park due to impending fatherhood, but it appears to have helped him play freely and he knows he has a successful game-plan for this match-up.
As a result, it’s hard to back against Ruud, but he may not get through with his perfect run still intact.
Marin Cilic vs Casper Ruud tip: Over 3.5 sets
