"It means the world": Marin Cilic celebrates 600 ATP wins - who else has crossed this milestone?

Marin Cilic reached a significant milestone on Tuesday at the ATP 500 Dallas Open, securing the 600th tour-level victory of his career with a win over Learner Tien. The 37-year-old Croatian became only the second active player to reach that figure, trailing only 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

It was far from an easy day for Cilic (No. 61), who had to battle against a 20-year-old Tien (No. 23), arriving in impeccable form over the past few months and widely tipped as the local favourite. On Centre Court in Dallas, the former US Open champion showed that his talent remains intact despite the years, sealing a 7-5, 7-6 victory by being more decisive in the key moments.

“It was a high-quality match from both sides,” Cilic stated in an interview with Tennis Channel. “I have to say I served fantastically, apart from that one game at the end of the second set. Everything else was quite smooth, and Learner also played a great match. He’s hitting from the baseline really clean, really big, and it was huge to win that tie-break.”

Across nearly two decades at the top level, Cilic has built his career on consistency, resilience, and adaptability. Much of his prime unfolded during the dominance of the ‘Big Three’, a period that limited opportunities for many players of his generation. Yet Cilic not only remained relevant, but continued to collect titles, deep runs, and notable victories well into his thirties.

With 600 tour-level wins, Cilic now ranks second among active players, trailing only Novak Djokovic, who continues to extend his record well beyond 1,100 victories. The milestone also carries national significance, as Cilic surpasses Goran Ivanisevic to become the most successful Croatian player by tour-level wins, moving past Ivanisevic’s total of 599.

“It means the world. People who know me know what I’ve been through these last few seasons, and it was just a huge battle to put myself into this position and to play this well,” said the smiling Croatian veteran. “It’s all credit to me, for pushing, for keeping going, and for believing in playing at this great level.”

Now 37, Cilic remains one of the tour’s most formidable competitors when fully fit. His game has long been anchored by powerful baseline hitting and a heavy serve, weapons that have allowed him to compete effectively across all surfaces. At the same time, he has earned widespread respect within the sport for his professionalism, calm demeanour, and sportsmanship.

The Croatian now sits on 600 ATP-level victories, second only to Djokovic’s 1,168 wins. In third place is Stan Wawrinka, with 586 victories, who is preparing for his retirement later this year. Fourth place belongs to Gaël Monfils, with 583 wins, another player expected to bid farewell to the sport this season. Fifth is Alexander Zverev, who at 28 years old has 526 victories and is widely expected to continue increasing his total for many years to come.

The defining moment of Cilic’s career came at the 2014 US Open, where he captured his first and only Grand Slam title. His run included a landmark semi-final victory over five-time champion Roger Federer, followed by a straight-sets win against Kei Nishikori in the final. It remains Cilic’s lone victory over Federer in 11 career meetings, but one that secured his place in tennis history.

Reaching 600 wins is not simply a statistical landmark, as Cilic became the 29th player in the Open Era to achieve it. It is a reflection of sustained excellence, adaptability, and endurance in one of the most competitive eras the sport has known. “It’s just a beautiful day. It’s been so difficult these last couple of years. I was battling through many things,” said the former world No. 3 in the on-court interview.

“Just to get to this level, playing this well, playing against guys like Learner — who is an incredible player and is going to have a fantastic career — it’s just a joy to reach this milestone. It speaks volumes about my dedication to tennis, living this sport for so many years. It’s given me so much joy, and I love it. It’s fun to still be out here, competing and playing, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Cilic will climb several positions in the rankings to No. 54 and advances to the Round of 16 at the Dallas Open. Another victory could return him to the Top 50, a position he has not occupied for nearly three years. His next opponent will be the winner of the all-American clash between Ethan Quinn and wildcard Trevor Svajda.