Collectors of baffling statistics, take note: before the second round of Wimbledon 2025, Marin Cilic had never beaten a top 5 player on grass. 

After years on end in which his peak career collided with the greatest greensward players of all time, and years more where multiple knee surgeries pushed his ranking below 1,000, at last, in his first visit to Wimbledon since 2021, the Croatian finally shattered his top 5 grass court hoodoo at the 10th attempt.

The fact that 36-year-old Cilic did it against Jack Draper broke No.1 Court hearts, including that of the No.4 seed. For two sets the Briton couldn’t find a way to threaten his opponent. When at last he did, Cilic’s invention was still lurking, and he summoned up the last dregs of energy for the killer blow.

Eight years after he was runner-up here to Roger Federer, the 6ft 6in (1.98m) Croatian came through 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, leaving Draper to ponder why all three of his Wimbledon campaigns have foundered by the second round handshake.

“The emotions I’m feeling are incredible,” said Cilic, as his infant sons Baldo and Vito waved from his player box. “Where I was two years ago – I can’t even describe.

“It’s been a long journey but I never lost any doubt. This was a huge challenge, to come back and play at this level against Jack, in front of this crowd.

“My sons are one of the reasons I have kept such great passion. Running after them keeps me in great shape. They are always cheering me on, and I’m so glad that they’re here.”

It will be a while before the youngsters understand the enormity of their dad’s achievement. But for the rest of us of riper years, it didn’t take a tennis mastermind to spot that Cilic was potentially a giant hurdle to Draper’s ambitions this Fortnight.

The knife-sharp competitive edge has never left the 2014 US Open champion. Last year he became the lowest ranked player – No. 777 – to win an ATP Tour title, and only last month he clawed his way back into the top 100 with victory in the Nottingham Challenger.

Moreover, Cilic loves a southpaw in SW19, having now racked up six wins from seven such matches here.

The knowledgeable No.1 Court crowd recognised the threat to Draper, offering their throaty best from the off to encourage their man. But while Draper’s serve dug him out of difficulty at times, the danger did not recede.

Once the first set escaped him, the second followed suit too quickly. It meant the 23-year-old faced the task of achieving victory by the longest possible route, something he had never previously managed.

But Draper has learned much in becoming the first Briton since Andy Murray’s title year of 2012 to reach the US Open semi-finals, and thrillingly winning in Indian Wells.

So in the third set he reached for the old tennis blueprint of focusing on the process, not the outcome. He got Cilic moving while the Croatian’s serve slumped.

Yet in the fourth set Cilic found more. Amid crackling tension, the Croatian was the man to break his hex. In his ninth visit to the third round here, he will take on Spain’s Jaume Munar. But Jack Draper must wait another year.

“It hurts a lot,” said Draper after coming off court. “I’m very frustrated and really upset. I came up short. This is one of my toughest losses. Cilic didn’t let up from start to finish. He was much better than me.

“Of course I think I could have done more. I’m really disappointed with my grass game this year. I really struggled on the grass after feeling great on hard, on clay.

“It makes me think more that Andy [Murray]’s achievement of winning here twice was unbelievable. I need to be bulletproof in all areas on all courts. There’s a misconception that because I’m a 6ft 4in lefty, I’m incredible on grass.

“I’m determined to make it a surface that’s great for me. In a way, it’s been good to see that I have a lot of areas to improve in my game, but it’s also hard because I thought I was ahead of where I am.”