Marin Čilić makes history with ATP title victory in China
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Marin Čilić (Photo credit: si.robi/CC BY-SA 2.0)
After two surgeries and 20 months out of the game, Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić is back and has won his 21st title, and in the process he has created history.
On Tuesday, Čilić won the ATP tournament title in Hangzhou, China, just four days before his 36th birthday.
Remarkably, this was the first ATP event he had competed in after a long absence.
An incredible week in China culminated in a victory over local player Zhang in the final, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5). As a result, Čilić has jumped a staggering 501 places in the ATP rankings, moving up to world number 212.
His next challenge begins tomorrow at the Tokyo tournament, where his first opponent will be Kei Nishikori, whom he defeated in the 2014 US Open final.
“It’s unbelievable to win a tournament after 20 months and two surgeries, to come back like this,” Marin beamed, having handed out towels to children in the crowd as mementos, 24sata said.
Reflecting on the match, in which he won just three more points than his opponent, Čilić admitted:
“I had a bit more luck than Zhang. I wasn’t better than him in any aspect, both sets were very close, and we both served exceptionally well. There weren’t many long rallies, I just had a little more luck.”
This marks Čilić’s first triumph in China, after losing finals in Beijing in 2009 to Djokovic and in 2011 to Berdych.
Over 14 years, Čilić has played in ATP finals, and for 13 years he has won at least one title: every year from 2008 to 2018, then again in 2021, and now in 2024.
The indomitable Marin has made history as the lowest-ranked player ever to win an ATP tournament, entering as world number 777. Truly a historic achievement.
