September 23, (THEWILL) – Marin Cilic has advanced to the final of the Hangzhou Open ATP 250 tournament. The Croatian entered the competition ranked 777th, becoming the first player outside the top 700 to reach an ATP final in 15 years.
The 35-year-old, who peaked at world number three in 2018, has battled injuries and undergone two right knee surgeries in recent years. He defeated Brandon Nakashima in the semi-final, following victories over Zachary Svajda, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Yasutaka Uchiyama. This achievement is notable given Cilic had not played an ATP match since February 2024 due to a six-month injury layoff.
The Croatian is only the second player since 1990 to reach an ATP final with a sub-700 ranking at the start of a tournament. The last occurrence was in 2009 when Raemon Sluiter, ranked 866th, made the final in Rosmalen. If Cilic wins the final, he will surpass Lleyton Hewitt’s record for the lowest-ranked player to win an ATP tournament, set in 1998 when Hewitt won the Adelaide International as world number 550.
Cilic’s opponent in the final will be sixth-seeded Zhizhen Zhang, who is appearing in his first ATP final. A victory for Cilic would mark his 21st career title, with his last ATP triumph coming in October 2021 at the St. Petersburg Open. Cilic’s most notable achievement remains his 2014 US Open victory over Kei Nishikori.
The Hangzhou Open final presents an opportunity for Cilic to add another chapter to his storied career. Despite his recent struggles with injuries, the Croatian’s performance in this tournament demonstrates his enduring skill and determination at the highest level of men’s tennis.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
