No Croatians in ATP Top 100 for first time since independence

by croatiaweek

January 27, 2025

in

Sport

Marin Čilić (Photo credit: si.robi/CC BY-SA 2.0)

For the first time in Croatian tennis history, no player from the country features in the ATP Top 100 rankings after the latest rankings were released today.

This significant moment underscores a challenging period for Croatian tennis, long renowned for its consistent production of top-tier players.

A sharp decline in the rankings

Borna Ćorić, Croatia’s top-ranked player, has experienced a steep fall on the latest ATP rankings. After a second-round exit at the Australian Open, Ćorić dropped 16 places to 103rd.

Duje Ajduković, another hopeful, slipped 20 spots to 158th, while veteran Marin Čilić fell six positions to 167th as he recovers from an injury.

This marks a significant milestone in Croatian tennis, as the country has maintained a strong presence in the ATP Top 100 since gaining independence in the 1990s, including some remarkable highlights:

Goran Ivanišević: The Wimbledon champion in 2001, Ivanišević reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in 1994. His dramatic triumph at Wimbledon as a wildcard remains one of the sport’s greatest stories.

Goran Ivanišević (Photo credit: MacKrys/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ivan Ljubičić: A consistent performer, Ljubičić peaked at No. 3 in the rankings in 2006 and played a key role in Croatia’s Davis Cup victory in 2005.

Marin Čilić: The 2014 US Open champion, Čilić climbed as high as World No. 3 in 2018. He has been a pillar of Croatian tennis for over a decade, with 20 ATP titles to his name.

Borna Ćorić: Known for his resilience, Ćorić reached a career-best ranking of No. 12 and claimed a Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati in 2022.

Borna Ćorić (Photo credit: si.robi/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Current ATP Rankings

The updated ATP Top 10 features Jannik Sinner, who defended his Australian Open title and solidified his position as World No. 1 with a commanding 11,830 points.

Alexander Zverev remains in second place, followed by Carlos Alcaraz in third. Notably, American Tommy Paul broke into the Top 10 for the first time in his career, reaching ninth.

What’s next for Croatian tennis?

The absence of Croatians in the Top 100 is a wake-up call for the nation’s tennis ecosystem. Recently, Croatia lost one of their up and coming talents, 17-year-old Duje Markovina, to Australia.

The focus will need to be on development and nurturing the next generation of talent to carry on Croatia’s proud tennis legacy.