Sat Aug 23 21:32:45 2008

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Cilic beats Fish for Pilot Pen title

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New Haven, CT (Sports Network) - Croatia's Marin Cilic defeated America Mardy Fish in a three-set showdown to win the $708,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final U.S. Open tune-up.

The sixth-seeded Cilic, who had little trouble with Luka Gregorc in the semifinal, winning the match by a 6-3, 6-3 score, was victorious over Fish 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a contest played in just under two hours.

The eighth-seeded Fish upset top-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 on the hardcourts at the Connecticut Tennis Center to reach the final match. It was his second straight runner-up finish in the event, having lost last year to fellow American James Blake.

The 19-year-old Cilic, who was making his first appearance in an ATP event, collected $94,000 for the win.

Fish dropped to 2-9 in 11 career finals, including a loss against Serbian star Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells earlier this season. A Minnesota native, Fish's last title came in Houston in 2006. He earned $52,000 for his efforts.