Taking full advantage of the wild card he received, Marin Cilic surged through the draw to claim his 21st ATP title at the Hangzhou Open. In a thrilling final, he faced home favorite Zhizhen Zhang, currently ranked 43rd on the PIF ATP rankings list. Both players battled fiercely, refusing to give up any breakpoints. The match came down to nail-biting tiebreaks, where Cilic’s experience proved crucial. He clinched the victory in straight sets, winning both tiebreaks with a score of 7-6(5), 7-6(5).
“I’m so proud to win here in Hangzhou,” Cilic said during the trophy presentation. “This means so much to me, especially after the hard work and dedication I’ve put in over the past few months. A big thank you to my team,… my boys, my wife, everyone who was with me [during] this difficult period.”
Not only does this victory add to Cilic’s impressive title collection, but it also sets a remarkable record, as he becomes the lowest-ranked player (#777 at the start of the tournament) to win an ATP title.
Looking ahead, Marin aims to continue his success at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, where he will face Kei Nishikori in the first round—a rematch of the 2014 US Open Championship final.
