Cilic Turns Hong Kong Heartbreak into Triumph
Two years after a crushing loss, Marin Cilic unleashes his serve and family-fueled focus to overpower Adrian Mannarino, setting a confident tone for his 2026 ATP campaign on these hard courts.
Marin Cilic walked onto the court at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open carrying echoes of defeat, that 2024 first-round agony against Jan-Lennard Struff where nine match points slipped away. On Monday, the 37-year-old erased those shadows with a 6-3, 6-2 dismantling of Adrian Mannarino, his big serves cracking like thunder over the baseline. The humid air thickened with crowd energy as Cilic’s groundstrokes landed heavy, pinning the Frenchman deep and forcing hurried replies that floated short.
Even landing just 48 percent of first serves, Cilic made them count, snaring 89 percent of those points—24 out of 27—and firing nine aces that Mannarino could only watch sail wide. He varied his attacks with crosscourt forehands stretching the court, then snapped inside-in backhands down the line to end points abruptly. This edge extended his head-to-head lead over the World No. 55 to 3-1, a mark of tactical patience honed through years of hard-court battles.
“It’s a great way to start the new season,” said Cilic, the former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It’s great to be back in Hong Kong with a beautiful atmosphere. My family is here… My boys love to watch me and give me great energy, so I have great eye contact with them and celebrate the victory with them.”
Family glances sharpen his edge
Glances toward the stands where his boys cheered kept Cilic locked in, their energy cutting through the post-match haze like a fresh breeze. The Marin Cilic who once faltered here now moved with purpose, his one–two patterns—serve into forehand winners—disrupting Mannarino‘s flat returns from the outset. As the first set turned on a break built from deep topspin, the crowd’s rising hum mirrored his growing command, turning potential doubt into steady rhythm.
This victory, his first over a higher-ranked opponent since upsetting then-No. 4 Jack Draper en route to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, eases the weight of a season where every early win builds momentum. The US Open champion from 2014 now claims at least one ATP Tour win in 21 straight seasons since 2006, a quiet testament to grit amid the tour’s relentless churn. With family nearby, his swings loosened, ready to carry that fire deeper into the draw.
Serve dominance buries past ghosts
Cilic’s low serve percentage hid a lethal precision, his placements—wide to the backhand, then body serves—turning holds into aces and forcing Mannarino into slices that died short on the hard courts. ATP Stats reveal how those 24 first-serve winners dismantled return games, with crosscourt replies keeping the Frenchman off-balance in extended rallies. The surface’s medium pace amplified his height advantage, letting heavy balls skid low and low, crowding the baseline without mercy.
Mannarino’s agility faltered against the barrage, his errors mounting as Cilic dialed in adjustments mid-match, shifting from inside-out forehands to down-the-line passes that clipped the lines. Psychologically, shedding the 2024 pain unlocked a freer game, the kind that thrives in ATP 250 openers where veterans like him chase relevance. This rout plants seeds for a run, his confidence surging as the humid night settled over the courts.
Borges matchup demands more fire
Next up, Cilic faces sixth seed Nuno Borges, who dispatched Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-3 with steady baseline play. Borges’s lefty spin and net approaches could test the Croat’s serve if percentages dip again, pulling him into longer exchanges where variety matters. Yet Cilic’s read on hard-court bounces—favoring inside-in replies to open the court—positions him to extend this hot start, family energy fueling the push toward another upset.
In a 2026 season thick with pressure, this opener whispers of longevity, Cilic’s power undimmed as he eyes deeper battles on these familiar courts.
