Marin Čilić Stuns Jack Draper in Wimbledon Comeback for the Ages
If you had told tennis fans a year ago that Marin Čilić — yes, the 36-year-old Croatian veteran — would eliminate Jack Draper, the top-ranked Brit, from Wimbledon 2025, many would have scoffed. But that’s exactly what happened on Day 4 of the Championships, and it’s one of those moments that makes tennis so exhilarating and unpredictable.
I’m watching this unfold thinking, how is he doing this? Here’s a man who underwent two knee surgeries over the past couple of years. Most players at that stage of their career are easing out, doing exhibition matches or perhaps dabbling in commentary. But not Čilić. Not only did he return to Wimbledon after a multi-year absence, but he also came back swinging — literally — knocking out the No. 4 seed, Jack Draper, in four sets: 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
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The match itself was a display of resilience and veteran intelligence. Čilić opened with conviction, using his massive serve and signature groundstrokes to gain an early edge. Draper, for all his youth and crowd support, just couldn’t impose himself early on. It wasn’t until the third set that Draper found a rhythm, blasting through to a 6-1 win. At that point, the energy shifted. The crowd was fired up, Draper was fired up, and you thought — okay, here comes the comeback.
But Čilić? Cool as ever. He weathered the storm, maintained his composure, and capitalized on Draper’s errors in the fourth to close out the match. He fired 16 aces, racked up 53 winners, and moved like someone who had never been away from the game. And let’s not ignore the emotion afterward. You could see what it meant to him — not just the win, but being back . He called it “incredible,” and honestly, it was.
What makes this win even more special is the bigger picture: Čilić is now leading the charge for the 30-somethings in the tournament. Out of seven men aged 33 and over playing on Thursday, five have made it to the third round. Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Jan-Lennard Struff — and now Čilić — are proving that experience still has a major role to play on the grass courts of SW19.
For Draper, it’s back to the drawing board. The pressure of being the "next big thing" in British tennis is immense, and once again, he’s stumbled at his home Slam. The numbers show it — Draper spent significantly less time in attack compared to Čilić, and his inability to adjust cost him dearly.
But today isn’t about Draper’s struggle. It’s about Čilić’s triumph — a win that felt almost poetic. From nearly retiring to defeating a top-seeded hometown favorite at Wimbledon, Marin Čilić reminded the tennis world that champions don't fade easily. Sometimes, they come back sharper, stronger, and more determined than ever.
And honestly? It was a joy to witness.
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