Marin Cilic powers past Querrey to face David Nalbandian in Queen’s final

Cilic, pictured right, survived nine break points in the first set to move ahead, but Querrey broke his 6ft 6in opponent twice in the second in what was a match of poor quality thanks to windy conditions.

Cilic’s power proved too much for the world No.77 in the end as the Croatian kept his composure to win the third set and set up his first Queen’s Club final against David Nalbandian. Cilic struggled to land his first serve during the opening stages of the match due to the wind, but Querrey failed to take advantage. The American had nine break points in a 20-minute long third game, but he wasted them all and his opponent held to move 2-1 ahead. The failure to break seemed to affect Querrey psychologically and Cilic earned three break points in the eighth game.

He needed just one as Querrey, now wearing a plaster on his right thumb after developing a blister, wastefully netted.

Cilic then clinched the set by holding to love, the winner coming in the form of a sweet passing forehand.

Cilic broke Querrey early in the second set when he went long with a forehand, but the Croatian broke back immediately to leave the set finely poised. Querrey then seized the initiative in the following game, breaking his opponent to move 5-3 ahead before taking the set with an ace in the following game.

Cilic hit back straight away, breaking Querrey at the beginning of the third set after the American double-faulted.

Querrey wasted a break point in the seventh game but he earned another one after deuce and he took it when Cilic hit a woeful forehand long to put the set back on serve.

Cilic was back on top in the following game, however, after Querrey’s decision to play a sliced drop from the back of the court backfired and the Croatian world number 25 had the break he needed for victory.

Serving for the match, Cilic buckled slightly, allowing the game to move to 30-30 but he recovered to clinch victory with a smart volley.

In the other semi-final Dimitrov’s Queen’s fairytale came to an end when he was beaten by tenth seed David Nalbandian.

Dimitrov, 21, has captured the hearts of the public after the exit of top seeds Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but he was not good enough to beat the 2002 Wimbledon finalist, losing 6-4, 6-4 in a poor quality game due to incredibly blustery conditions. Dimitrov looked nervous as he lost his first service game, but broke back immediately to level.

He saved three break points in the third game but Nalbandian broke through in the Bulgarian’s following service game when the 21-year-old netted with a backhand. Nalbandian then took the set when Dimitrov sent his cross-court forehand long.

The Argentine took control of the second set by breaking his opponent in the third game when Dimitrov found the net cord.

Serving for the match, Nalbandian’s experience shone through as he moved 40-15 ahead before taking the match when Dimitrov mis-hit a shot.