Standing at an age where most tennis pros have already switched from rackets to a commentator’s mic, Marin Cilic is still going strong. We’re talking about a 605th career victory kind of strong! But this success isn’t just the result of his form; it’s also thanks to his family.
The 37-year-old has seemed to rediscover his form this season and has put in some very impressive performances already. He began his clay-court season on a positive note and recorded a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Alexander Shevchenko in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters. And while many players may find it hard to balance their private lives while being on tour, the Croatian seems to have no problems in doing so.
“The boys are having a very good spirit. They cheer me on for every point and are very intense with that. But obviously, it’s a great balance between private life and being on tour. I love it,” he said on The Tennis Channel. “I played really solid from my own end and the returning end. I have to say it wasn’t easy.
“You have to work hard on clay and get your sleeves up and get ready to dig in. It wasn’t easy, but I played well, and it was the way I wanted to be on clay.”
Marin Cilic is on career win no. 605, but he’s not counting
The 2014 US Open champ has found a great balance between family and career.
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Cilic has given some remarkable performances this year, showcasing that age is just a number for him. This includes the straight set victory over Denis Shapovalov at the Australian Open and the convincing 7-5, 7-6 triumph over Learner Tien at the Dallas Open. The 2014 US Open champion even took Alexander Zverev to his limit in the third round of the Miami Open.
The German had started strongly and had won the first set comfortably. However, Cilic clawed his way back into the match by clinching the second set. But it just wasn’t meant to be, as Zverev got the job done in the end and won the match 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
It was at the Dallas Open that the former World No. 3 had massively improved his results and made it all the way to the last 4. Though he was eventually knocked out by Taylor Fritz, the tournament proved a big success for him, as it marked his first semifinal appearance since the 2025 Nottingham Challenger, held in June.
These results have seen Cilic make significant gains on the ATP rankings this year, and he will continue to rise further if he manages to keep up this form in the upcoming tournaments.
Marin Cilic takes a giant leap forward in the ATP rankings
Cilic’s ranking had taken a nosedive in recent years, and he had fallen all the way down to No. 1095 in 2024. However, he pulled his way back into the top 100 in 2025 and finished the year at No. 73. He has continued to improve his results this year and has made it to No. 43 in February.
This was the first time that the veteran had made the cut into the top 50 since 2023. Cilic currently stands at No. 51 and is already 12 places ahead of his year-end ranking last year. A deep run at the Monte Carlo Masters can see him break into the top 50 once again.
Having gotten past Shevchenko in the opening round of the tournament, Cilic will now be taking on World No. 7 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the R32. This is expected to be a pretty evenly contested match, as both players are currently in great form.
The two have faced each other previously on six occasions, and the H2H record stands at 3-3. Cilic had won the first three encounters, while Auger-Aliassime had reigned supreme in the next three. Their last meeting had come at the ATP 500 event in Basel last year, where the Canadian had triumphed 7-6, 7-6.
Will Cilic go on to cause another major upset, or will Auger-Aliassime spoil his party to advance further in the Monte Carlo Open? Let us know your predictions in the comments!
