Borna Coric is the future of tennis according to former US Open champion Marin Cilic.
The world No.13 believes that despite Coric’s roller coaster year, where he has produced a win-loss of 16-15, the 19-year-old will one day reach the top of the men’s game once the era of the ‘big four’ comes to an end.
“I would say Croatian teenager Borna Coric is one of the rising stars and he is definitely going to be at the top,” Cilic said after his semi-final loss to Milos Raonic at the Aegon Championships.
Despite currently lacking consistency on the tour this season, Coric have shown glimmers of the form that justifies Cilic’s comments. He has a duo of top-10 scalps (Rafael Nadal in 2014 and Andy Murray in 2015) and has already reached two ATP finals this season. On the other hand, he has also endured seven first round exits this season, including Halle earlier this week.
Coric isn’t the only young star rising up the rankings. Dominic Thiem has become a household name after an outstanding first half of the season where he had won four ATP titles and reached the semifinals at the French Open. Then there is Alexander Zverev, who stunned Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle. Coric has certainly got a lot of work ahead for him and Davis Cup teammate Cilic believes that it will be a ‘difficult path for him.’
“He’s got a bit more difficult path in front of him as he doesn’t have as big of shots as them,” an analytical Cilic said about the comparison between Coric and the other young players.
“He is going to need to work much more on improving that and in improving, trying to use his game as best as possible.”
Since his unexpected triumph at the 2014 US Open, Cilic has been the poster boy of Croatian tennis. Now with emerging talent Coric following in his footsteps, he will be hoping that the highly regarded teenager can live up to the hype and relieve some of the pressure placed on Cilic’s shoulders.
Borna Coric Facts
Age: 19
ATP titles: 0
Career high: 33 (achieved in July 2015).
Best Grand Slam performance: French Open third round (2015, 2016)
Random fact: Produced back-to-back wins against Alexander Zverev and Thanasi Kokkinakis to win the 2014 US Open boys’ title.
