After seeing Cilic’s passion and natural talent for the sport, and because of no training options in his town, Marin’s parents built a tennis court in their backyard to give Marin and his brothers the opportunity to practice. By age 8, he won his first trophy after making it to the semi-finals at a 10&U tournament. After catching the eye of local coaches, Cilic was encouraged to move to Zagreb to pursue further training. Three years after touching down in Zagreb, Cilic won the 2005 French Open Boys’ Singles Title.

Fast forward to January 2018 and Cilic reached his career-high singles ranking of No. 3. Admittedly from humble beginnings, he never lost sight of the opportunities he was given from a young age that allowed him to reach this pinnacle of success.

In 2016, The Marin Cilic Foundation was established on the belief that every child has boundless potential. The organization gives educational, sport, and encouragement opportunities to youth around the world, providing them with the support needed to make their dreams a reality.