Hangzhou Open:‍ Marin⁢ Cilic Wins 21st Tour Title

Former ⁤World No. 3⁤ Cilic Defeats Zhang Zhizhen in Straight Sets

The men’s singles final of the ⁢Hangzhou Open (China/Hangzhou, hard, ATP250) took place on the 24th, ⁢with former world No. ⁤3 ⁢Marin Cilic (Croatia) emerging victorious. Cilic, who entered as a wild ⁣card, defeated No. 6 seed Zhang Zhizhen (China) in ‌straight sets 7-6 (7-5),⁢ 7-6 (7-5),⁤ securing his 21st tour‌ title⁢ and‍ first ​in about three years.

Cilic, 35, has had a remarkable comeback after undergoing two surgeries due to‍ a knee injury. He ‍returned ⁤to the⁢ tour tournaments at this event ⁤ranked 777th in the world and made‍ a strong impression by defeating Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama to reach the quarterfinals.​ In the semifinals, ⁣he⁤ defeated 4th seed Brandon Nakashima (USA) to‍ advance to the final.

In the final against Zhang, Cilic ‌showcased his exceptional serving‌ skills, hitting⁣ 18 service aces and winning points on ‌his first serve with an ⁣impressive 84% success rate. He also demonstrated his accuracy,‍ hitting 34 ⁤winners throughout ⁢the ‌match while making⁤ only 14 unforced errors. Although he​ allowed two breaks, he ​successfully broke twice himself, ultimately winning both ‍sets in tiebreaks and claiming the championship in 1 ⁢hour ⁣and 50 minutes.

This tour victory marks Cilic’s 21st title, ⁣his first in about three‍ years since the⁣ St. Petersburg Open (Russia/St. Petersburg, indoor hard, ATP250) in October 2021. Notably, this win at world rank 777 is the⁣ lowest world ranking since the ATP Tour was established in 1990, surpassing Lleyton Hewitt’s (Australia) record of ​world rank⁣ 550‍ in⁤ 1998.

Following this tournament, ⁣Cilic will travel to Japan​ to participate in the Kinoshita Group ‍Japan Open Tennis Championships 2024 (Japan/Tokyo, hard, ATP500), which began on the 25th. In the first round, he will face Kei Nishikori, who is ‌ranked 200th in the world. The two have a long history ⁣of competition, having played‍ against each other 15 times in ⁤the past, with Nishikori winning 9 and losing 6.⁣ Their last match was in the quarterfinals of the 2018 US Open, where Nishikori⁤ emerged victorious.

Although Cilic is in good form,⁤ concerns ⁣about fatigue due to his ​tight schedule may impact his performance in the upcoming tournament.