Marin Cilic reaches first Wimbledon final with win over Andy Murray's conqueror Sam Querrey

The Croatian came out on top in the battle of two hard-hitting serves, winning this semi-final 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5

2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic is in his first Wimbledon final (Getty)

Marin Cilic surged into the Wimbledon final this afternoon, overcoming brave American Sam Querrey in a competitive semi-final on Centre Court.

Cilic lost the first set on a tie break but soon found a level beyond Querrey, showing more energy and conviction than his over-achieving American opponent. Querrey had surprised everyone by getting to the semi-finals, beating Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, but this match and this opponent was a bridge too far for him.

After Querrey won the first set his serve started to wilt, and it took all of his reserves of grit to stop the third and fourth sets for being easier wins for the big Croatian. Although he lost his concentration briefly in the first set and in the fourth, Cilic was the superior player. He deserved to win and now has the chance to add a Wimbledon title to his US Open from 2014. “It would absolutely mean the world to me,” Cilic said about a second grand slam. “To do it again would mean even more because I know what it meant to win the first one.”

The match opened up as it went on but the first set went strictly with serve. This was billed as the meeting of two big-hitters and it certainly felt from the start as if it would be decided by up to four tie breaks and most probably a marathon fifth set too.

This was billed as a meeting of two hard servers (Getty)

So it went in the first set with not even a break point to mention as the two tall men held their nerve on Centre Court. Sure enough it went to a tie break which Cilic pushed himself into a 4-1 lead. But Querrey battled back to 4-4 and when it was 6-6, with Cilic serving, luck intervened. There was a pause after a spectator was taken ill. After the resumption, a distracted Cilic skewed a backhand wide, then did the same again. Querrey had the first set.

After three consecutive five-set wins there was a question whether Querrey had the legs for another epic and at the start of the second set his serve did start to wilt. Suddenly a break felt likely and it finally came for Cilic, at the third attempt. From there Cilic won the second set 6-4.

Now it was Querrey, the warrior who overcame Murray and Jo Wilfried Tsonga, who was on the ropes. Cilic broke him and it felt as if he could run away with the set and the match from there. But Querrey found new reserves of energy and broke back. Cilic had to serve to stay in the third set, not a position he expected to be in, but did so to set up another tie break.

This time it was Cilic who seized control, taking advantage of two Querrey errors to give himself three set points. One strong forehand winner was all it took and now he had the lead, two sets to one.

Cilic seized control after losing the first set (Getty)

With all of Cilic’s grand slam experience, that should have been enough to see him simply through to the final. But he lost focus again and out of nowhere, Querrey broke him at the start of the fourth set. Cilic was furious at himself but he fought back and finally broke back, to keep the set alive. “Mentally, in the critical situations, I was really good,” Cilic reflected. “Even a break down in that fourth set, I managed to turn it around.”

Now the pressure was back on Querrey and when he was serving at 6-5 down, he ran out of energy and edge. Cilic smacked a forehand winner down the line. He wheeled away, the went off to prepare for Sunday.