ATP Finals Preview: Marin Cilic

Eight stars will battle in London at the ATP Finals starting on November 12. Baseline will preview each contender ahead of all the action.

In a year of instability, injuries and legendary comebacks in the ATP, Marin Cilic has been his usual steady self. He didn’t win a major like he did in 2014 or a Masters 1000 title like he did in 2016, but the Croatian is consistently strong if not spectacular at times. He's a terrific player on fast courts with his powerful serve and forehand, and he hopes for a better showing for his third ATP finals in four years. He will ride into London as the No. 5 player in the world.

2017 Record

44-19

1 title (Istanbul)

Best Performance

Cilic took advantage of a weakened Wimbledon field and reached his second-career major final. He’s an exceptional grass-court player, but he was also no match for Roger Federer. Many will remember how emotional he was when he was unable to compete at his best. The crowd cheered for him even when he faded to a 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 loss.

Season Low

Usually, Cilic likes playing in North America, but first-round losses at Indian Wells and Miami made for a disappointing slump.

Best Social Media Moment

In July, Mayleen Ramey for Outside the Ball caught up with Marin Cilic and asked him about his love for pancakes.

“[Cheat days] happen quite rarely and they happen probably the most when I’m at home,” Cilic sad. “When I’m at tournaments I’m very conservative with my diet and eat what I need to, but when I’m at home I can have more fun.”

Best Quote

Maybe the understatement of the year, but Cilic posted the following Federer tribute on Instagram: