LONDON (REUTERS) - Marin Cilic's power game proved far too much for Philipp Kohlschreiber in the Wimbledon first round on Monday (July 3) as the Croatian seventh seed swept his German opponent aside 6-4 6-2 6-3.
After a tight first set which he edged by snatching the only break point, 6ft 6in tall Cilic increasingly dictated terms with his big forehand and booming serve, which bought him a string of cheap points and dug him out of tight corners.
It wasn't all brute force from the back of the court, however, as the 28-year-old showed fine touch to close out the second set with a delicate drop shot and serve-volleyed on several occasions to keep 60th-ranked Kohlschreiber off balance.
For 33-year-old Kohlschreiber, the loss extended a woeful recent record at Wimbledon where he has failed to win a match since 2014 and he has now lost in the first round at the All England Club seven times.