Marin Cilic’s 600th tour-level victory, which he earned against Learner Tien Tuesday at the Nexo Dallas Open, is a reflection of his consistency and longevity, qualities that have helped him earn a place among the modern greats. Across two decades on the ATP Tour, much of it spent competing in the ‘Big Three’ era, the Croatian has not only survived, but thrived.
Cilic, 37, is one of the sport’s fiercest competitors in the game, armed with equally imposing baseline firepower. At the same time, the 21-time tour-level titlist balances a quiet intensity with an easy smile and genuine kindness that resonates with players and fans alike.
Cilic boasts the second-most wins amongst active players, only behind Novak Djokovic (1,168 and counting). By capturing his 600th tour-level win, Cilic became the all-time winningest Croatian, surpassing former World No. 2 Goran Ivanisevic, who collected 599 tour-level victories throughout his illustrious career.
One of Cilic’s career highlights came in 2014 at the US Open, where he lifted his maiden major trophy. Cilic downed Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the final, just days after upsetting five-time champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals. That win marked Cilic’s lone victory against Federer in their 11 Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings.
“All my dreams came true,” Cilic said while reflecting on his Flushing Meadows triumph last August. “Coming [to the US Open] again always brings the goosebumps and always brings a little bit of a sensation of, ‘Can I do it again?’”
Most Tour-Level Wins (Active Players)
| Player |
Wins |
| 1) Novak Djokovic |
1,168 |
| 2) Marin Cilic |
600 |
| 3) Stan Wawrinka |
586 |
| 4) Gael Monfils |
583 |
| 5) Alexander Zverev |
526 |
Cilic’s US Open triumph helped him qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time that season, a feat he accomplished again for three consecutive years from 2016-18. In 2016, Cilic won his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati. He reached the Wimbledon final in 2017 and the Australian Open championship match in 2018, falling to Federer on both occasions.
From 2009 to 2023, Cilic spent much of that time comfortably inside the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings. Then, in January 2023 at the ATP 250 in Pune, Cilic suffered a torn lateral meniscus just before his quarter-final match. Cilic underwent the first surgery of his life and played just one additional tournament that season. Despite his tireless rehab efforts post-surgery, Cilic was not able to return to the level at which he hoped, opting for a second surgery in May 2024.
“I [was] reading through the whole internet and going through research, reading dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of researchers about knee surgeries, recovery, the methods, what to do, what not to do, how to train, what to train afterwards,” Cilic recalled last April.
Four months after his second surgery, Cilic made history. Days before his 36th birthday in September 2024, Cilic won the ATP 250 in Hangzhou as World No. 777, becoming the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Tour history (since 1990).
Beyond his achievements on the court, Cilic is one of the most respected players on Tour. A father to two sons, Cilic has also made an impact away from the court. In 2016, he launched the Marin Cilic Foundation.
“We do everything in our power to help kids in need, whether through scholarships, motivational speeches or by providing proper guidance to point them in the right direction,” Cilic said in 2022. “I hope for a world in which all children have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.”
Despite its small size, Croatia has consistently produced world-class talent in professional tennis, including Cilic, Ivanisevic, former No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic, former No. 7 Mario Ancic, among others. Cilic’s achievement as the country’s all-time winningest player speaks to his remarkable longevity.
Cilic’s longtime friend Ivan Dodig, who reached a career-high No. 2 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings in 2023, has had a front-row seat to his journey.
“It’s just amazing. All his career is unbelievable,” said Dodig. “I’m super happy and proud for him. From the beginning, he broke the Top 100 at quite an early age, like as a teenager, and he stayed one of the best players in the world, achieved so many things in his career, winning so many ATP tournaments, a Grand Slam tournament.
“He’s achieved everything you can do in tennis. I’m happy for Marin [earning] his 600th win. Hopefully some more are coming. I’m sure he has the courage and motivation to play some more years.”
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