Marin Cilic Ends Fish's Winning Streak

Marin Cilic finally saw off Mardy Fish at the Legg Mason Classic event in Washington after the match was delayed by heavy rain.

The fourth seed had a tough test on his hands as Fish has been one of the inform players in recent months with an eleven match winning streak to him name.

And that match proved to be as tight as everyone expected as they both took a set a piece at 6-4. Into the third and Cilic has three break point chances, converting two.

This is what was the difference between the two players in the final set as Fish was unable to convert a single one of his three break point opportunities.

After an exciting two hour and sixteen minute victory Cilic, who is the fourth seed in the draw, wrapped up a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory.

Cilic will now face Janko Tipsarevic for a place in the semi-final as he cruised past Alejandro Falla, who came so close to beating Roger Federer in the first round at Wimbledon.

But Falla wasn't able to recreate the form of earlier in the season as he fell to a 6-3 6-4 to the Serb. It's been a great couple of weeks for the in form Tipsarevic as he made the semi final at the tournament in Los Angeles last week.

It was a bad day all around for the Americans as John Isner also crashed out of the competition to leave no Americans left in the draw.

The big hitting American faced Xavier Malisse in the fourth round and Isner's serve seemed to be firing well during the match as he fired down eighteen aces.

Both players held serve until the eleventh game of the opening set until Malisse fashioned the first break point chance of the match. He broke for 5-4 before serving out the set.

But Isner was not put off by losing the opening set as he broke Malisse in his opening service game of the second as he opened up a 2-0 lead.

Malisse let a 0-30 chance slip by to get the break back at battled back to hold and Malisse couldn't get the break back. The decider was another closely fought affair as Isner earnt break point chances in the third game while Malisse let a 0-40 lead slip in the eighth but neither were able to capitalise.

A tie break was needed to decide the winner and it was a silly overhead shot that crashed into the net from Isner which handed Malisse match point.

And Malisse didn't need to be asked twice to wrap up the match as he secured a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) victory. He will now face Wimbeldon runner up Tomas Berdych.

Berdych, who is the top seed in Washington, had another three set encounter as he was forced to battle against Andrey Golubev.

Berdych took a tight opening set on a tie break before Golubev battled back to level the match at a set a piece. But Berdych showed his class in the final set as he stepped on the gas to six of the seven games and wrap up a 6-3 5-7 7-5 victory.

The final quarter final is made up for Fernando Verdasco and Marcos Baghdatis. Verdasco saw off American Ryan Sweeting in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 and Baghdatis saw off Ilva Marchenko 6-3 6-7(7-5) 6-3.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw