Zagreb, July 21 (IANS) Croatian star Marin Cilic has split with coach Vilim Visak, the former No. 3 player in the ATP Rankings announcing the end of their association, which began when he started working with Visak in 2020, with the pair winning three ATP Tour titles together.
The 37-year-old Cilic announced the split in a social media post, reminiscing about some of his top performances during their association.
“My dear friend, we’ve known each other since we were teenagers, living door to door, practising together, and playing tournaments together. Reconnecting after so many years and sharing the journey of the past seven years has been truly special,” Cilic wrote on Instagram on Monday night.
“The road to the Roland Garros semifinals will always be one of my favourite memories, along with winning an ATP title at the start of my comeback and so many other unforgettable moments. Thank you for your friendship, your unwavering support, your constant drive to improve, and for always pushing me forward, especially through the challenging injuries. Most of all, thank you for always being there for me.
“I wish you nothing but the very best in everything that comes your way. And who knows… maybe our professional paths will cross again in the future. Hvala prijatelju! @vilimvisak”, wrote Cilic, who won the US Open in 2014 and the finals of the Australian Open (2018) and Wimbledon (2017) during his prime, in his Insta story.
The 37-year-old advanced to the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2022 under the guidance of Visak. Cilic then underwent surgery on his right knee in early 2023 and ultimately played at just two events that year. His comeback in early 2024 lasted just two months, and he underwent another surgery on the same knee in May.
After easing back into match action from late August by winning three matches across two ATP Challenger events, the Croatian made his tour-level comeback as a wild card at the Hangzhou Open. Competing as the World No. 777 at the Chinese ATP 250, Cilic dropped just two sets en route to becoming the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Tour history (since 1990).
“After seven beautiful years, our professional journey together is coming to an end,” Visak wrote on Instagram. “I want to emphasise that it has been an exceptional honour and a great privilege to coach Marin and collaborate with him over such a long and intense period.”
Cilic won titles in Stuttgart and St. Petersburg in 2021 with Visak and also captured his 21st tour-level crown in Hangzhou in 2024. The Croatian reached No. 14 in the ATP Rankings under Visak.
