Marin Cilic is playing at a high level at the ATP 500 event in Dallas, beating three rivals en route to the last four.
The Croat will compete in the last four of the ATP tournament for the first time since September 2024.
Senhor Marin Cilic ainda tem muito tênis, viu?
Tá fazendo bonito em Dallas…
— Marcela Linhares (@ma__linharess) February 13, 2026
Marin faced the former college tennis star at Texas Christian University Jack Pinnington Jones in the quarter-final and earned a dominant 6-1, 6-4 victory in an hour and 17 minutes.
With these points, Cilic will return into the top-50 for the first time since June 2023. The Croat will join his good friend Novak Djokovic among the oldest players in the selected group.
The former Major winner fired 16 aces and defended both break points to mount the pressure on his younger opponent. Pinnington Jones dropped nearly half of the points in his games and suffered three breaks.
Marin Cilic, Dallas 2026© Stream screenshot
The Croat hit more service winners and built the upper hand in the shortest exchanges. Marin was off to a great start and clinched a break on his fourth chance at 2-1 after a sharp return.
Cilic fired a service winner for 4-1 and welcomed the rival's backhand error in the sixth game for another break and an extended lead. The veteran served for the set at 5-1 and fired a powerful serve to wrap up the first part of the duel in 31 minutes.
The Briton stayed in touch early on in the second set. However, Marin attacked at 2-2 and fired a forehand crosscourt winner on a break point to move in front and closer to the finish line.
The Croat provided two fine holds, and his rival followed that pace to remain within one break deficit. Cilic served for the win at 5-4 and sprayed a forehand error to face the only two break points.
He denied them in style, firing four straight aces and moving into the semi-final in style.
