Former Major champion takes the Rafa Nadal Open wild card

08/14/2024 09:59 AM

Marin Cilic is returning to Challengers for the first time since 2012! The former US Open champion took a wild card for the upcoming Rafa Nadal Open in Manacor, setting to compete at the tennis complex of one of the greatest players of all time. Marin will perform for the first time since February, hoping to challenge Yannick Hanfmann, Damir Dzumhur, Harold Mayot, Valentin Vacherot, Quentin Halys and Benjamin Bonzi. Cilic scored 32 wins in 2022, embracing another top-20 season before a massive setback. Marin injured his right knee in Pune at the beginning of 2023, beating Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round before withdrawing and embracing the most challenging of his career! The Croat skipped the Australian Open and underwent surgery. Marin made a return at home in Umag in July, falling to the young Italian Fabio Cobolli in the first round and missing the rest of the year.

Cilic entered the ATP 250 event in Hong Kong at the beginning of 2024, falling to Jan-Lennard Struff after a massive battle and leaving the ATP ranking list for the first time in two decades! Marin endured a three-hour battle against Jan-Lennard, taking the opening set before falling 3-6, 7-6, 7-6. The Croat fired 20 aces and clinched four points more than his rival, missing a massive chance to score his first victory in a year. Cilic forged a 6-3, 5-2 advantage and served for the win two times. Struff pulled one break back in the eighth game and denied five match points in the tenth game en route to his second break and more drama! The German claimed the tie break 7-4, forcing a decider and extending the battle.

Marin squandered three more match points on the return at 6-5, allowing Jan-Lennard to introduce a deciding tie break. The German denied the ninth match point at 6-7 in the tie break and prevailed 9-7, wrapping up a historic win and keeping the Croat empty-handed. Marin entered the Australian Open and fell to Fabian Marozasan in four sets. Cilic led Croatia in the Davis Cup tie versus Belgium in Varazdin and lost to Zizou Bergs in three sets following a decent effort on an indoor court. Two weeks later, Marin fell to Laslo Djere in Buenos Aires, experiencing a bagel in the decider and taking another break from tennis. In May, the Croat underwent another surgery on his knee, feeling motivated to make another comeback and extend his career. After three months of rehab, the 2014 US Open winner is ready to compete again, picking the Rafa Nadal Open in Manacor as his first stop.