Hangzhou Open: Cilic becomes second lowest-ranked player to reach ATP final
The Croat will face No 6 seed Zhizhen Zhang or wildcard Yunchaokete Bu for the title
Marin Cilic, Kooyong 2024
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
Croatian wildcard Marin Cilic won against American Brandon Nakashima, the No 4 seed, 6-4, 7-6 (6) to reach the final of the Hangzhou Open on Monday.
Cilic, who began the tournament ranked No 777, becomes the second-lowest ranked player in ATP history to reach a final (only Raemon Sluiter at No 866 was ranked lower when he made the finals in S’Hertogenbosch in 2009).
The Croat will face the winner of the match between No 6 seed Zhizhen Zhang and wildcard Yunchaokete Bu at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center in Tuesday’s final. It will be his 37th career final on the ATP Tour and his first since October 2022.
Cilic was injured in the first week of the 2023 season and since then has played only six events prior to this week.
The 35-year-old Croat beat American Zachary Svajda (5-7, 6-3, 6-0), Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, the No 8 seed (6-4, 6-1) and Japanese qualifier Yasutaka Uchiyama (6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5)) ahead of his victory.
Earlier in the tournament, Nakashima, ranked No 36, defeated qualifier Chak Lam Coleman Wong (6-7 (7), 7-6 (4), 6-1) and Australian Rinky Hijikata (7-5, 6-3).
Hangzhou ATP 250, other semi-final match (Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, hard, USD 1,000,630):
- Zhizhen Zhang vs. Yunchaokete Bu
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