Croatian tennis star Marin Čilić achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the Challenger event in Girona. The 36-year-old claimed the title by defeating Elmer Møller in the final with a straight-sets victory of 6-3, 6-4.
With this win, Čilić set a unique record, becoming the player with the longest gap between Challenger titles—18 years—surpassing former world number one Andy Murray, who previously held the record with a gap of 17 years and eight months. This triumph also marked his first title of the year at any level in professional tennis.
In the final, Čilić proved to be dominant against his opponent. He fired eight aces, five more than his rival, and showcased a strong serve, winning 73% of points on his first serve compared to his opponent’s 63%. Overall, Čilić secured 78 points in total, outscoring his opponent by 10 points.
Notably, the former Grand Slam champion dropped just one set throughout the tournament. He began his campaign with a straight-sets victory over Spain’s Carlos Taberner, winning 6-4, 6-3. In the round of 16, Čilić overcame Márton Fucsovics in a three-set battle, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.
In the quarterfinals, the former world number three secured a straight-sets win over Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta, 6-2, 6-4. He continued his dominant form in the semifinals, earning another straight-sets victory with a 6-4, 6-4 scoreline.
Čilić is now set to compete in another Challenger event in Menorca, where he will face Canada’s Ignacio Buse in the round of 32.
