New York: Defending champion Marin Cilic escaped a scare on Friday to reach the fourth round of the US Open, outlasting 56th-ranked Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1.


Croatia's Marin Cilic is ecstatic after his win over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan on Friday. Pic/AFP 

The Croatian ninth seed was threatened with the earliest exit by a defending champion since Andre Agassi lost to Arnaud Clement in the 1999 second round.