CroatianSports.com readers Iggy and Cro Canada posed a great question this week: who has had the better singles tennis career; Čilić or Ivanišević?
With Čilić making the Australian Open Final this past weekend; forcing legendary great and now 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer to a fifth set, and the Davis Cup between Croatia and Canada coming this weekend, it’s been tennis central here at CroatianSports HQ.
But with Čilić making his third Grand Slam at this year’s Australian Open, we can now enter him in the discussion with Goran Ivanišević, who made four Wimbledon finals and finally won the whole thing as a wild card in 2001.
Ivanišević, without question, was a one-trick pony. His game was on grass. Although he made four Wimbledon finals, the farthest he ever got at the US Open was the semifinals in 1996 and he never got past the French or Australian quarterfinals.
Čilić on the other hand, and with a few more years in the tank, has already won the US Open and made the Wimbledon and Australian Open finals. He made the French Open quarterfinals in 2017.
Wimbledon is Wimbledon. It’s the crown jewel of tennis. And to win it put’s you in a special category. With that said, and his charismatic personality to go with, Ivanišević probably still has the edge as Croatian all-time number one.
But if that is the case, what does Čilić have to do to take the crown?
The facts and stats of both careers are easily accessible on Wikipedia for those who are too young to remember, and Goran was a much more significant player right from the beginning:
Goran Ivanisevic vs Marin Cilic:
#2 ranking by age 22 vs #3 by age 29
6 Year-end Ranking in the Top 10 by age 25 vs 3 by age 29
22 singles titles (+27 finals) by age 29 vs 17 (+14) by age 29
9 doubles titles (+10 finals) by age 29 vs 0 (+1) by age 29
1 Slam title (+3 finals) by age 29 vs 1 Slam title (+2 finals) by age 29
2 ATP Masters Series (+5 finals)by age 29 vs 1 (0 final) by age 29
1 Singles Olympic bronze medal by age 21 vs 0 by age 29
1 Doubles Olympic bronze medal by age 21 vs 0 by age 29
The only thing that Cilic has done better than Ivanisevic so far was to lead Croatia to the Davis Cup final. Otherwise, it is quite obvious that Goran was the better overall player, especially when he had one of the greatest serve in tennis history and still holds the record for the most aces by any player in a single season (1,477 in 1996).
Goran was also a party animal and ladies man throughout his career while Marin (like Ljubicic) has been much more subdued and disciplined. Kudos to all of them for showing the full spectrum of Croatia’s tennis and culture to the world…
I saw non-whites in the stands dressed in Swiss costumes waving Swiss flags; as though a non-white can be Swiss. If anyone in the world can become Swiss, if it’s just a matter of paper work, than what the fuck is the point of being Swiss? The Swiss nation would just die off.
The Swiss nation was born about 700 years ago when fiercely independent hell fighting Germanic tribes formed a CONFEDERACY to gain independence from the Germanic Hapsburg & Holy Roman Empires. They bashed many heads in to gain independence. Non-whites have nothing to do with it.
I remember when Cilic beat Dimitrov in some big tourny in the U.S. a year or two ago, some young Croatian guy and his Asian girlfriend were wearing Croatian costumes; that’s an oxymoron, the non-white child they produce simply can’t be Croatian.
I was watching Petra Martic playing the Belgian girl Mertens and it looked like clones playing against eachother. “Oh, what’s the difference if a German or an African gets Croatian citizenship?”……..WELL DUHH!
There is no comparison and the facts and stats of both careers are easily accessible even for those who are too young to remember what a much more significant player Goran was in the 90’s right from the beginning:
Goran Ivanisevic vs Marin Cilic:
#2 ranking by age 22 vs #3 by age 29
6 Year-end Ranking in the Top 10 by age 25 vs 3 by age 29
22 single titles (+27 finals) by age 29 vs 17 (+14) by age 29
9 doubles titles (+10 finals) by age 29 vs 0 (+1) by age 29
1 Slam title (+3 finals) vs 1 Slam title (+2 finals) by age 29
2 ATP Masters Series (+5 finals) vs 1 (+0) by age 29
1 Singles Olympic bronze medal vs 0
1 Doubles Olympic bronze medal vs 0
The only thing that Cilic has done better than Ivanisevic so far was to lead Croatia to the Davis Cup final last year. Otherwise, it is quite obvious than Goran was the better overall player, especially when he had one of the greatest serves in tennis history and still holds the record for the most aces by any player in a single season (1,477 in 1996).
Goran was also a party animal and ladies man throughout his career while Marin (like Ljubicic) have been much more subdued and disciplined. Kudos to all of them for showing the full spectrum of Croatia’s tennis talent and culture to the world…
sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goran_Ivani%C5%A1evi%C4%87
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_%C4%8Cili%C4%87_career_statistics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Open_Era_tennis_records#Goran_Ivanišević
nvm did some research, theyve been fined a bunch of times. now the question is..when will they play with an empty stadium? For the Homeland Ready :p
Watching Mexico vs Bosna C team. Pretty good game. I really hate when the mexicans scream out Puto on every goal kick. How come they never get fined for that?
Also liked Goran’s obsession with Teletubbies.
Funny dude!
One of the best things – and something we forget – is Goran thanking his good friend Drazen Petrovic when he won his title
it’s a really sweet moment and i recommend seeing it
Ziva would make some tasteless joke but yeah
it’s a really cool moment
When Goran won the title he dedicated it to Drazen on court, which was great
That’s a tough one. Goran by a bit but if Marin were to win a Wimbledon b4 he’s done I’d have to change it to cilic.
Good ol days before ante kvartuch showed his yugo colors
wow, ante, there’s a flashback hey, lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRlA071KaEA
@Maminjo
ive seen that list and – yeah dont – i mean, Goran should be nbr 1 for sure, regardless of what it says
Goran played in the slow hardcourt and slow ball era where a serve that was an ace was rare. The commentators and organisers hated it. Sorry to get into politics again but it was relevant. I remember watching matches vs Edberg with my Stari and commentators were saying “oh this is cheating” when he served an ace.
Was a different time. Then they slowed the courts and balls and did everything they could to stop him. It was a huge rigging within the rules of the game.
(Kinda like what they did to Marin in final of AO).
So yeah point is, i know Goran isnt “rated” as nbr 1 server but we all know he was the best server ever – anyone who saw it knows that.
Goran was a transcendent talent.
Partied too hard in NYC to ever do well at US Open.
Čilić had an opportunity to cement his legacy this past weekend.
Got Stari calling me wanting me to wake up to watch it.
Goran was must see TV.
Call me old school but it seemed that the field was a tad stronger back in the day.
Hope Čilić can take the final step in becoming #1 this Spring.
Then the debate will be a moot point.
Just checked…
Karlović in first (by far) with about 12,500 aces
Goran is third on the list… But only because he played very few total matches. Karlović played even fewer lol.
Ljubičić is 8th on the list too.
Čilić is 18th…and still climbing.
It is insane that there are probably going to be 4 Croats in the top-10.
Don’t all if our tennis stars hold multiple ACE records for speed, totals, etc?
^^^^^^^^^^^^ toooooooooooooooooo brateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee kamen krs I maslinaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
My favourite stat for either of them is Goran’s aces in a season record which he still holds 20 years on.
Throw in Cilic being a doper and Goran’s awesome personality and it’s Goran in first for me.
Best thing Cilic has over Goran is being a Hercegovac over a Dalmatinac.
22 titles for Goran when he retired
17 for Marin currently
That page looks pretty fucking sweet tho, hey?
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/marin-cilic/c977/overview
Also, i know we pat ourselves on the back from time to time about how good we are for a small nation but what an awesome time to be Hrvati lately.
I know the handball team didn’t do so well but.. Cilic making the final and truly showing how awesome his power and aggression is (plus he might’ve won without tourney organisers cheating lets be honest lol), Pavic winning 2 titles, Stipe dominating the apparent biggest threat to his thrown and re-affirming the best of both worlds this dude has (Cro talent, American willpower), even Mirko’s devastating win on NYE. Good times man ! 😀
I like this post!
I absolutely love Marin! The guy’s one of my favourite HRV sportspeople out of all sports. I actually – unlike a lot of ppl on here – didn’t mind him crying at Wimbledon, i thought it showed his human fragility and really felt a strong affinity for that.
That being said – hmm i guess the question is who has the best career, not who’s the better player. There’s no doubt at all Goran has more talent, he was incredibly talented, got to nbr #2 in the world. He was kinda better at drop shots, lobs, volleys, sneaky plays, had a great all round game.
You say a one-trick pony but that’s why he did so well on grass, it suited him. Also, it’s true he faltered at the other grand slams but he DID do very well in shorter tourneys. There was a time we thought he couldn’t win a grand slam cos his tank was pathetic, he really couldn’t win long matches. I remember year after year him playing here in Sydney and inevitably it was vs Edberg in the final time after time – also, he retired a lot from blisters! Which seems to be a HRV thing (although i guess these guys are fucking tall lol).
Im rambling sorry!
Goran had to play against Sampras, Edberg, Agassi, Courier.
Marin has to play against Fed, Murray, Novak, Nadal
So both have had difficult opponents for sure. I mean you could say Marin’s super unlucky to have 2 finals vs fed but what about Goran’s final and semi-final losses vs sampras? He should’ve won wimbledon more than a couple of times tbh.
I Think Goran’s career is better so far but, tbh, if Marin wins another you prolly have to give him the question as u posed it – “better career”, better player might always goto Goran but better career will goto Marin soon i think.
If Marin can play like he did in that 4th set vs Fed, blow me sideways, the power and aggression this dude has is just awesome. Watching that 4th set, NO ONE in the world would’ve touched him, NO ONE. And that’s how he was during the 2014 US Open, he just activated beast mode and was untouchable. He’s 29 – i think Goran won wimbledon at 31 (i could be wrong?) so another few years left for Marin.
I really hope he goes a long way in Wimbledon this year again – one better.
So yeah – lol i crapped on sorry – in summary, atm it’s Goran but, another grand slam win and it’s Cilic.
I wondered if you would include Davis Cup contributions in your original post, that makes for some interesting comparisons too – but one thing they both deserve a lot of credit for is bleeding for the checkers.
You won’t see Fed playing for swiss, or novak playing for srbs, or nadal playing for spain this week – but Cilic is always there, he always plays for us and gives his all, even when many top players dont care, he always cares about us as did Goran. Both guys deserve huge props for that.
Now, let’s go smash some Canadians.
And by Canadians i mean typical Canadian names on their team such as – well admittedly absent but Raonic the montenegrin, but they DO have: SHAPOVALOV – very canadian name there (this guy is actually really good), and also DANCEVIC lol..
Cilic prob just hitting is peak or in it already
I still say anyone but Federer he has at least the Aussie open
Wimbledon maybe not if he really was injured
But I see him making noise this year again and who knows. Why is it not conceivable that he can make another couple or more finals and who knows what will be
I don’t follow a ton of tennis but commentators during the Aussie final said Murray getting or already has surgery and Novak going to get potential surgery on elbow
So couple big names may be out for a bit or at least not in prime shape
I think at the end of the day cilic will over take ivanisevic
Goran paved the way and his personality was special to watch but cilic will become king of cro tennis at the end I feel
Let’s hope his body holds up