'The Wine Glass' Marin Cilic at 37: Returns to Top 50, Reaches ATP Tour Semifinals for the 68th Time

Not only Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka, Marin Cilic is performing very well even as he approaches his forties.

After undergoing two knee surgeries and enduring a long period of injury struggles, Marin Cilic is crafting an inspiring comeback story at the ATP 500 Dallas Open. At 37 years old, the Croatian player shows he still has the skill and experience to compete at the highest level of the ATP Tour.

In the Dallas Open 2026 quarterfinals early on February 14 (Vietnam time), Cilic convincingly defeated qualifier Jack Pinnington Jones 6-1, 6-4 to secure a spot in the semifinals. Earlier, the former world No. 3 had beaten Learner Tien 7-5, 7-6 in the opening round and then eliminated another young home player, Ethan Quinn, 7-6, 6-3.

This marks the 68th time in his career that he has reached the last 16 of an ATP tournament — the third-highest total among active players. Ahead of Cilic in this statistic are Gael Monfils (73 times), Alexander Zverev (79 times), and Novak Djokovic (200 times).

Beyond this impressive milestone, the victory over "JPJ" guarantees Cilic a return to the ATP top 50 next week. He is expected to be ranked No. 43 — his highest position since June 2023. This represents a significant advancement considering the challenging journey the 2014 US Open champion has undergone.

Two knee surgeries once cast serious doubts over Cilic’s career. Many questioned whether the Croatian player could regain his peak form, especially as he entered the latter stages of his career. However, his performance in Dallas demonstrates that his physical condition and match skills remain formidable. Powerful serves combined with consistent baseline play continue to be his key weapons in controlling matches.

In the semifinals, Cilic will face Taylor Fritz, who overcame Sebastian Korda in a thrilling three-set match. It promises to be a tough contest, but reaching the final four clearly reflects the veteran’s resilience and passion for the sport at age 37.