In it Wimbledon of surprises has also appeared Marin Cilic To give a definitive blow to his commendable resurrection: martyred by a serious knee injury, the Croat Wimbledon After stopping the Balearic climbing in 3rd round Jaume Munar6-3, 3-6, 6-2 and 6-4 after 3h.06 'game.
Cilic, 36, was former World Nº 3 and champion of the US Open the 2014 In his full years, one of the few players who was able to interfere in the domains of the ‘Big Three’ and win a Grand Slam In the golden age of Novak Djokovic (24 'Great'), Rafa Nadal (22) y Roger Federer (20). That is, a guy with a quality and a passion for tennis that now also explain this happy return after the Calvary lived with his knee.
The Croatian went through the operating room in January 2023, but that meniscus operation did not solve his discomfort and Marin then entered a dangerous spiral, full of doubts and uncertainty. A very hard stage began in search of a solution to continue in the elite of tennis.
“I read everything online, dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, research on knee surgeries. I contacted Dr. Brian Cole and it was my true salvation”
“I read everything online, dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, research on knee surgeries, recoveries, methods, what to do, what not to do, how to train later,” Cilic explained on the ATP website. That ant Brian Coleorthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert Chicagohis “true salvation,” according to the Balkan player.
“It was very direct and clearly explained to me what his idea was. Through his investigations, I knew practically everything and discovered what were the best options for an athlete of my age. The continuous problems with my knee were due to a cartilage. Who knows why, perhaps because of excessive wear over the years, but part of that cartilage deteriorated a little more in the 2022 season,” said Cilic.
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With that diagnosis on the table, the Croatian decided to operate again in May 2024, when he had barely played seven games in the previous 15 months. “I decided to operate again and it was really the best decision I have made in recent years.”
Cilic reappeared three months later, in August last year. Croatian did not mind going down to the Challenger circuit in search of the necessary points to climb in the ranking. He combined the second tennis division with the ATP tournaments that he could play with the protected ranking and in his first date of the main tour, in HangzhouIn September, he already won the 21st title of his career: not only ended three years of drought, but obtained an important back of points and trust.
“In the last eight or nine months, I am playing without pain and progressing well, and that is great”
Determined in his idea of continuing to be competitive, this season CILIC has followed his reconquest plan and in March he won the Challenger of Girona To beat the record of years between one title and another in this circuit, 17 years and 10 months after winning in Riverin his country, in 2007.
Back to the world top 100, now occupies No. 83 of the ranking, Cilic gave one of the great bells in Wimbledon When he eliminated the great British hope in the 2nd round, Jack Draperat 23 years old No. 4 and one of the young people called to give war to the new tension hierarchs, Carlos Alcaraz y Jannik Sinner.
Spanish tennis player Jaume Munar lost in four sets against Marin Cilic
After winning Munar (55º) this Saturday, the Italian awaits him in the round of 16 Flavio Cobolli (24º), which has surpassed him in his two direct duels, although both on whipped land, the last this year in the 1st round of Roland Garros 6-2, 6-1 and 6-3.
“In the last eight or nine months, I am playing without pain and progressing well, and that is great,” exclaims Cilic in Wimbledon, where he played and lost the 2017 final against the Swiss Roger Federer. 2014 US OPEN champion, Croatian has reached at least semifinals of the four Grand Slams, as he did in the 2010 Australian Open y Roland Garros of 2022his last resolving result before this inspiring Wimbledon for him.
