MATCH REPORT | 2024 Hangzhou Open: World No.777 Marin Cilic becomes lowest ranked player ever to win ATP title

Marin Cilic is the lowest ranked player ever to win an ATP title with the World No.777 coming from wildcard status to win the Hangzhou Open in China this afternoon.

Cilic of course has vastly loftier ambitions having been a former World No.3 and is considered one of the greatest Croatian players of all time. But he has not won a title since 2021.

He has dealt with a myriad of surgeries and injury lay-offs and has often returned to action to leave again and not play for a while. But Cilic has been superb this week and at the age of 35 has shown that there is life in him yet even at this point of his career when he could've easily quit.

He saw off China's leading light in the final Zhizhen Zhang and encountered a tough run-in owing to the fact that he is a non seed due to his rankings. He saw off Yoshihito Nishikoka, Yasutaka Uchiyama, Brandon Nakashima and finally Zhang in the final. It was a 7-6, 7-6 success for Cilic in the final. He sealed it in two tie-breaks.

Lleyton Hewitt was the lowest ranked player to win a title last. He claimed it as World No.550 in the infancy of his career back in 1998 in Adelaide so it is a record that has stood for over 25 years. The previous second best was Pablo Andujar which was in 2018 in Marrakech. Cilic had zero wins in four events this year and claims a 21st career title.

A first since 2021 where he won two in the year. This shows too how low he fell during his lay-off from the sport over the past year and he will hope now to use it as fuel to rise again. The 2014 US Open showing that he can still perform.