New York - Croatian Marin Cilic caught a strangely lethargic Andy Murray flat-footed and off his game for a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 upset Tuesday of the second seed in the fourth round of the US Open. Shell-shocked Murray was stunned in the defeat in little more than two hours, as his number 17 opponent fired 35 winners including 10 aces to advance into his career-first Grand Slam quarter-final.
The Scot said that while he's been bothered by his left wrist for a few days, that was not the reason for the one-sided loss.
"I have had a problem with it for a week or so. But, regardless, I just struggled today. I played poorly," he said.
"I'm obviously very disappointed. After the way that the last three Slams went, I felt like I had actually played well and lost. Today it didn't feel like I played well."
Cilic marked his turnaround from the 10th game of the opening set, when he saved two Murray set points to instantly reverse the momentum.
"That was the turning point," Cilic said after defeating his first top-three-ranked player.
"It was a relief for me. I got more into the match and played tactically very well. He was missing a lot today, and it was very windy and not easy to play in."
Cilic called his breakthrough into the last eight "really amazing."
"This is my first time through," he said, "but hopefully I can go further."
Murray, who lost serve five times and failed to convert any of his seven break points, had been bidding at what he called his favourite Grand Slam to take it a step further than his losing final a year ago against Roger Federer.
Cilic will face off against Juan Del Potro after the sixth seed reached his third Grand Slam quarter this season with a defeat of 2003 finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Former women's champion Kim Clijsters made it to the semi-finals as she played her first Grand Slam since quitting the game earlier this decade, producing a defeat of China's Li Na 6-2, 6-4.
The success for the 26-year-old Belgian, who retired two and a half years ago for marriage and motherhood, could send the one-time number 1 back to a ranking in the 50s a month after her comeback to the WTA.
"It's a nice feeling to have, knowing, you know, I was able to win it in two sets," Clijsters said.
"Even in that second set I got a little bit closer, but I was just able to finish it off in straights."
She next faces a test from the winner between world number 2 and defending champion Serena Williams and Italian 10th seed Flavia Pennetta.
Against Li, Clijsters won a battle of mistakes, advancing despite 25 unforced errors and just nine winners. But it was worse for the Chinese, with Li striking 41 miscues in just over an hour.
The Belgian has not won the title since the last time she played, in 2005.
