Marin Cilic delivered one of the most emotional performances of Wimbledon 2025, defeating fourth seed Jack Draper in four sets to reach the third round. The 36-year-old Croatian, once ranked as high as world No. 3, overcame years of injury setbacks to produce a commanding display on No.1 Court. His 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 victory marked a triumphant return to the tournament after a three-year absence.
Children cheering from the stands
What made the moment even more special was the presence of Cilic’s wife and children in the crowd. His two young sons watched their father with wide-eyed admiration, cheering him on as he battled through the match. Cilic later shared that their support was a major source of motivation. “They are also one of the reasons why I kept such a great passion,” he said. “Running after them keeps me in great shape!”
A long road back to the top
Cilic’s journey back to Wimbledon has been anything but easy. After undergoing knee surgery and dropping outside the top 700 in the rankings, he spent months grinding through Challenger tournaments to rebuild his form. His recent win in Nottingham on grass helped him arrive at SW19 with renewed confidence, and his performance against Draper showed that he still has the fire to compete at the highest level.
Family as a source of resilience
The Croatian star credited his children not only for keeping him physically active but also for reigniting his emotional connection to the sport. “For them to come here, they are always great support,” he said. “They are cheering me on and showing me the fist. I’m so happy that they’re here and enjoying as a family.” Their presence reminded him of what truly matters and gave him the strength to push through the challenges.
Looking ahead with renewed purpose
Cilic is set to face Jaume Munar in the next round, and while the road ahead is tough, he’s embracing the opportunity with gratitude and determination. His comeback story is inspiring not just for tennis fans but for anyone who’s faced setbacks and found strength in the people they love. Wimbledon may be about fierce competition, but for Cilic, it’s also about family, resilience, and rediscovering joy on the court.
Doing it for those who matter most (image)
Marin Cilic's children were watching on as he advanced to R3 of #Wimbledon on No.1 Court – and he credits them for keeping him in match shape! (image) pic.twitter.com/0RPG6E5QhC
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2025
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Cilic in Wimbledon, ranking, and results in 2025
21 – 10win/loss
83
High
3
36 year old
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Ranked world no.83, Marin achieved a 21-10 win-loss record in 2025. Marin is participating in Wimbledon where he toppled the world no.85 Raphael Collignon 6-3 6-4 6-3 and the world no.4 Jack Draper 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4.
Marin Cilic will fight against the world no.55 Jaume Antoni Munar Clar in the 3rd round. Their current head to head is 2-0 for Cilic.
Marin clinched 2 titles in 2025 in the Girona Challenger and the Nottingham 2 Challenger. Cilic was the runner-up in the Madrid Challenger.
The Croatian won 21 titles in his career: 7 on hard courts, 2 on clay courts, 9 on indoor courts and 3 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
