Marin Cilic secures long-awaited Challenger title in Girona after 18 years
ATP
Marin Cilic won the Girona Challenger title in Spain, his first Challenger title in 18 years. The former US Open champion has been trying to rediscover his best level of competition in Challenger tournaments over the last season.
The former world No. 3 is one of the most experienced players on the Tour. At 36 years old, he is one of the 6 players over 35 who are ranked within the top-120, led by Novak Djokovic (37 years, No. 5) and Gael Monfils (38 years, No. 42).
Cilic had a tough road to the title, defeating some strong rivals in a Challenger 100 tournament, far from the big lights of ATP-level events. He comfortably won his debut in straight sets against Carlos Taberner and then defeated some of the biggest names in the main draw: Marton Fucsovics (1st seed), former Canadian Open champion Pablo Carreño Busta (6th), and Jesper de Jong (4th).
Since May 2007, Cilic hadn’t won a Challenger title, mainly because he had stayed as an ATP-level player. However, his drop in the rankings over the last couple of seasons has forced him to play in lower-category tournaments.
The Croatian had two Challenger titles in Casablanca 2007 (April) and Rijeka (May). Those consecutive wins were enough to propel him into bigger tournaments, and just a few months later, he was inside the top-100. By 2008, he was a top-25 player at just 20 years old. Injuries in recent years caused him to drop from world No. 17 to No. 672 in 2023, after a season where he spent most of his time off the courts.
Cilic secured his third Challenger title in Girona, defeating Denmark’s Elmer Moeller 6-3, 6-4. Cilic earned 100 ranking points and moved up 25 positions, reaching world No. 118 as of this Monday. The Croatian is now preparing to play the Menorca Challenger this week and a Challenger in Madrid the following week, both on clay courts.
Match Statistics Cilic vs. Moller
| Cilic | VS | Moller |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 8 | Aces | 3 |
| 5 | Double Faults | 4 |
| 54% (41/76) | 1st Service Percentage | 73% (51/70) |
| 73% (30/41) | 1st Service Points Won | 63% (32/51) |
| 57% (20/35) | 2nd Service Points Won | 53% (10/19) |
| 100% (8/8) | Break Points Saved | 50% (2/4) |
| 100% (10/10) | Service Games | 78% (7/9) |
| Return | ||
| 37% (19/51) | 1st Return Points Won | 27% (11/41) |
| 47% (9/19) | 2nd Return Points Won | 43% (15/35) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 1h 44m | Match Duration | 1h 44m |
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