Highlights, Australian Open 2018, semi-finals: Marin Cilic wins; Simona Halep outlasts Angelique Kerber in epic

Marin Cilic has advanced to his first Australian Open final, beating Kyle Edmund of Britain 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

The sixth-seeded Croatian player becomes just the second man outside the so-called Big Four of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to reach the final at Melbourne Park in the last 10 years. Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, is the other.

Cilic reached his third career Grand Slam final after the 2014 US Open, which he won, and 2017 Wimbledon, which he lost to Federer.

Cilic will also rise to a career-high ranking of No 3 by making the final.

He’ll face the winner of the second semi-final on Friday between Federer and Hyeon Chung of South Korea.

Marin Cilic will have a chance to win his second Grand Slam title on Sunday

Marin Cilic wins 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-2 against Kyle Edmund.

The Croatian progresses to his 3rd Grand Slam final — his first at the Australian Open.

Marin Cilic breaks for a second time and he’s a game away from winning. 5-2.

Edmund now looking visibly hampered by the injury that he had taken a medical timeout for. His movement compromised, he just can;t defend in the long rallies and his admirable resistence comes to an end.

Cilic holds at love for 4-2 and is just two games away from reaching the final. 4-2.

The 6th seed has done little wrong in this match today. Served at a very high level, and has neutralised Edmund’s powerful forehand with his own.

Edmund rescues a huge service hold to avoid falling too far behind in the third set. 2-3.

The Brit saves a break point and then holds after four deuces.

Cilic surges ahead to 3-1.

Edmund stretches Cilic to three deuces in the next game. 

But as usual his serve comes to his rescue and he holds for 3-1.

Cilic breaks early at the start of the 3rd set. Leads 2-1

Edmund’s serve collapse under the constant pressure of Cilic’s hammering returns. Long way back for the Brit now as he trails by two sets and a break.

95% of first serve points won by Cilic in the 2nd set. Difficult to do much on the return against such numbers.

Marin Cilic leads 2-0 in the semi-final against Kyle Edmund.

The Croat wins the second set 7-6(4) after an hour.

Cilic wins the tie-break 7-4.

Cilic gets the first mini break in the TB after a battle of the backhands that he eventually won with a forehand down the line. 4-3. 

Cilic hits a shot near the baseline. The call comes late from the linesperson, and Cilic challenges. Hawk-Eye shows that point was in, the point is replayed, and he wins it to go 5-3 up. Edmund chips a return into the net and it’s three SET POINTS for the 6th seed. 

Cilic converts on the 2nd to take firm control of this semi-final.

Tie-break time!

Ace down the tee from Cilic on the first point. 1-0.

Edmund responds with a similar big serve down the middle on the other side. 1-1. 

Cilic can’t put an easy backhand in play and it’s 2-1 for Edmund. The crowd applauds in approval, clearly wanting the underdog to win this set. 

3-3 after the first six points as the players change ends. No mini breaks yet.

Edmund holds to take the second set to a tie-break!

Edmund shanks his forehand on the first point. 0-15. 

A nice, accurate serve down the tee and it’s 15-15. 

Ace down the middle hit at 202 kmph makes it 30-15.

Cilic challenges the next Edmund serve but Hawk-Eye shows that it clipped the line and it’s 40-15 to Edmund.

Cilic gets a racquet on the next serve and then rips a huge forehand for a winner. 40-30. 

Another heavy forehand from Cilic and he takes the game to deuce. 

Edmund finally holds after two big serves. We are going to a tie-break.

Cilic does his bit on serve, drops only one point to make it 6-5

Now Edmund will serve to try and take this to the tie-break. 

As the games have progressed, Edmund’s chances of breaking the Cilic serve have looked bleaker. The tie-break could be the only way he wins this set.

Edmund holds for 5-5

After missing a backhand on his first point, Edmund does well to win the next two points. 

But he throws a double fault next and it’s 30-30. Cilic two points away from a 2-0 lead in this match. 

Ace and it’s 40-30. 

Another massive serve down the tee from Edmund and he holds for 5-5.

Heading towards the business end of the second set

Both men have been quite dominant on their serves in the second set. There haven’t been any real chances yet.

Edmund of course under more pressure after dropping the opening set.

Cilic makes it 5-4. Edmund to serve to stay in the second set.

Cilic starts off with a rare double fault. 0-15.

Another second serve from the Croatian and Edmund replies with a deep forehand. Cilic misfires on the next forehand and it’s 0-30. Small window of opportunity for Edmund. 

A solid serve down the line from Cilic makes it 15-30.

Edmund muffs an easy backhand and an ace from Cilic means the window slams shut. 40-30.

Cilic keeps going after the Edmund backhand and he gets an error from his opponent. He holds.

Both Cilic and Edmund exchange two quick holds and the match is at 4-4 in the second set.

The next 10-15 minutes could decide the fate of this match.

Edmund holds for 3-3

Edmund comes up with the perfect game to respond. He holds at love with four cracking first serves.

The Brit now needs to find a  way to break the Cilic serve.

Cilic comes through that service game for 3-2

Edmund is still quite angry but he needs to keep calm and not lose focus.

Kyle Edmund has a heated argument with the chair umpire about a call on Cilic’s first point.

“Get the referee. This is rubbish, I’m not having it”, Kyle Edmund says to the umpire.

Excellent serving from Edmund to make it 2-2

Edmund bludgeons the ball for an inside-out forehand winner off a Cilic slice.

At 30-30, Edmund nets an easy forehand and it’s break point for the 6th seed. 

Edmund saves the break point with a massive ace down the middle. This was his 3rd ace of the match. 

One more booming service winner brings up game point and with this third service winner — this one out wide — Edmund holds for 2-2.

On serve in the second set at 2-1

Serving at 1-1, Cilic fires two aces back-to-back. 

Edmund produces a deep return to catch Cilic napping at the baseline — Cilic can only net his backhand. 

However, two big serves later, Cilic holds comfortably for 2-1.

Cilic starts off the second set with a love-hold

Edmund seems to be moving fine for now. No update on what the medical timeout was for.

Take a look at the first set stats

Kyle Edmund has called for a medical timeout at the end of the 1st set

He has gone off court for an examination and treatment

Marin Cilic takes the first set 6-2 over Kyle Edmund is just 36 minutes.

The 6th seed is two sets away from his maiden Australian Open final.

Edmund serving to stay alive in the first set at 2-5 and gets broken again 

At 30-30, he misses a forehand down the line and it’s set point for Cilic. 

Cilic wins the set with a booming cross-court forehand.

Cilic gets the first break in the match and leads 4-2

The Croatian peppers Edmund’s backhand and it cracks under the constant scrutiny.

Cilic and Edmund exchange contrasting holds to start off the match. 1-1.

The 6th seed had to save two break points on his serve while Edmund breezed through his game.

Both men are looking to make their first Aus Open final.

We shift our focus to the men’s semi-final now!

6th seed Marin Cilic takes on 23-year-old unseeded Kyle Edmund. 

Cilic leads the head-to-head 1-0.

Take a look at the final stats from Halep’s win

Watch Halep’s on-court interview after that titanic battle

What an incredible, incredible win!

If you missed out on this match, you missed a classic

Simona Halep has advanced to her first Australian Open final after saving two match points and rallying to defeat Angelique Kerber 3-6, 6-4, 9-7 in the second women’s semi-final on Thursday.

Both women had their chances to put the match away in the 68-minute-long third set.

Halep was serving for the match at 5-3, but was broken after Kerber ended a 26-stroke rally with a backhand winner that just clipped the line. The German player then fell to her knees and put her forehead on the court in exhaustion.

Halep had two match points in the next game, but Kerber saved the first with a backhand down the line and the second when Halep hit into the net.

After Kerber broke to take a 6-5 lead, she then had two match points of her own, but Halep saved them both and then broke back to level the match at 6-all.

Serving at 7-8, Kerber saved a third match point before Halep finally converted on the fourth when the German sent a ball long.

Halep said after the match, “Definitely was very tough. I’m shaking now, I’m really emotional because I could win this match.”

Simona Halep wins 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 against Angelique Kerber after two hours and 23 minutes of a titanic battle. 

Halep is through to the Australian Open final for the first time in her career.

Simona Halep breaks to win 9-7 in the third.

Halep brings up 0-30 on Kerber’s serve with two massive forehand into the corners of the court. 

She overhits a return to Kerber’s second serve and it’s 15-30. 

BIG serve from Kerber to Halep’s forehand and she gets the error again. 30-all.

Another long rally with Halep pushing Kerber behind the baseline but the German keeps retrieving everything. Halep eventually gets the winner to bring up MATCH POINT #3. 

Kerber saves the match point with gutsy play — a great serve followed by a forehand winner. 

Halep brings up MATCH POINT again and this time she converts!

So tight in this match