Hangzhou
Cilic wins historic crown in Hangzhou
He is the lowest-ranked player to win an ATP Tour title at No. 777
September 24, 2024
Hangzhou Open
Marin Cilic poses with his 21st career title in Hangzhou.
By ATP Editorial Team
A few days ago it was hard to imagine Marin Cilic adding a new ATP Tour title to his list of achievements, not because of the enormous quality of the Croatian’s racket but because in his recovery process after a long injury he had accumulated a record of 0-4 in 2024.
But at the Hangzhou Open, he found his most competitive form to string together five consecutive victories, most recently on Tuesday against sixth seed Zhizhen Zhang in the final round of the Chinese ATP 250 tournament by 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in one hour and 50 minutes.
“Thank you to my family, my children, my wife. Everyone who has been with me in this difficult time,” Cilic said during the trophy ceremony. “Working with me day in and day out, supporting me and giving me strength. I am very happy and proud to achieve this victory, not only for myself but for them as well.”
“It’s been a tough time for me the last few months. I lost my ranking and I didn’t play much,” Cilic added. “So a big thank you to the organization for giving me the opportunity.” [tenía una invitación]”.
Cilic, who is ranked No. 777 in the PIF ATP Rankings, thus becomes the lowest-ranked player to win a title in the Open Era, surpassing the record previously held by Lleyton Hewitt (No. 550).
Lowest ranked ATP Tour champions (since 1990)
| Ranking | Player | Tournament | Rival |
| No. 777 | Marin Cilic | Hangzhou 2024 | v. Zhang |
| No. 550 | Lleyton Hewitt | Adelaide 1998 | v. Stoltenberg |
| No. 355 | Pablo Andujar | Marrakech 2018 | v. Edmund |
| No. 352 | Fernando Gonzalez | Orlando 2000 | v. Massu |
| No. 349 | Tommy Haas | Houston 2004 | v. Roddick |
| No. 335 | Juan Manuel Cerúndolo | Córdoba 2021 | v. Ramos-Viñolas |
It was the first Lexus ATP Head2Head duel between Cilic and home favourite Zhang, with both sides able to save break points conceded according to Infosys ATP statistics. The former World No. 3 played more aggressively in both tie-breaks and struck 34 winners to lift his first title since St. Petersburg 2021.
Cilic, who suffered a major injury in 2024, already has 21 ATP Tour crowns under his belt, having spread them over 13 different seasons.
“It was a great week for you Zhizhen,” Cilic said of his opponent. “I hope to continue playing great tennis in China, in Beijing and Shanghai.”
The Croatian prevented Zhang from becoming the third Chinese player to win a title, after Wu Yibing won last year in Dallas and this Tuesday Shang Juncheng won the #NextGenATP in Chengdu.
Did you know that…?
Marin Cilic’s title at the Hangzhou Open allows him to jump from No. 777 to No. 212 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Source: https://www.atptour.com/es/news/hangzhou-2024-martes-final-cilic-zhang
