After winning bact-to-back men’s tennis gold medals in London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, Andy Murray’s career-best unbeaten run was halted by Marin Cilic at 22 matches after the later was defeated by the former 6-4 7-5 in the Cincinnati Masters final.
Just a week after retaining his Olympic title in Rio, world number two, Murray was attempting to secure his third Cincinnati Masters title, after wins in 2008 and 2011. But victory denied him and brought to Cilic his first title of 2016 and third since 2014’s US Open.
The British, whose 50th win of the year had come in the semi-final against Milos Raonic, was broken twice in the first set and, despite breaking back, fell behind. The second set was a close affair, with Murray broken only in game 11, after saving four break points, and Cilic serving out the match.
It was Cilic’s third win in 14 attempts against Murray, who will now look to repeat his 2012 US Open title when the year’s final Grand Slam starts on 29 August.