Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic have played each other a total of nine times on the ATP Tour with Rafa currently leading their H2H seven wins to two (7-2).
The last time they played each other was in the 4th round of the US Open in 2019, which Rafa won in four sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The first Nadal vs Cilic match was in the semifinals of the ATP Beijing tennis tournament in 2009 with Marin winning the match in straight sets (6-1, 6-3).
Nadal vs Cilic
| Rafael Nadal | vs | Marin Cilic |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Year born | 1988 |
| 2001 | Year turned Pro | 2005 |
| Left handed | Plays | Right handed |
| Two handed backhand | Backhand | Two handed backhand |
| 7 | Matches won | 2 |
| 78% (7/9) | Winning Percentage | 22% (2/9) |
| 6 | Hard courts | 2 |
| 1 | Clay | 0 |
| 0 | Grass | 0 |
| 0 | Finals | 0 |
| 2 | Grand Slam Tournaments | 1 |
| 3 | Masters 1000 Tournaments | 0 |
| 0 | ATP World Tour Finals | 0 |
| 0 | Davis Cup | 0 |
Grand Slams
Marin Cilic (or “MC”) and Rafael Nadal (or “RN”) have played each other a total of three times in grand slam tournaments (twice at the Australian Open and once at the US Open with Rafa currently leading their grand slam H2H 2-1.
They have yet to play each other at Wimbledon or the French Open.
| Year | Grand Slam | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | US Open | Round of 16 | RN | 6-3,3-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2018 | Australian Open | Quarterfinals | MC | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 2-0 (Retired) |
| 2011 | Australian Open | Round of 16 | RN | 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
Head to Head by Court Surface
To date, all but one of their matches have been on hard courts (seven outdoor and one indoor).
The only other court surface they have played on was clay at the 2011 Rome Masters, as they have yet to play each other on a grass court.
Hard Courts
They have played each other a total of eight times on hard courts with their H2H currently standing 6-2 in favor of Rafa.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | US Open | Round of 16 | RN | 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2018 | Canada Masters | Quarterfinals | RN | 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2018 | Australian Open | Quarterfinals | MC | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 2-0 (Retired) |
| 2017 | Shanghai Masters | Semifinals | RN | 7-5, 7-6 |
| 2017 | Acapulco | Semifinals | RN | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2015 | Basel Indoors | Quarterfinals | RN | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2011 | Australian Open | Round of 16 | RN | 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2009 | Beijing | Semifinals | MC | 6-1, 6-3 |
Clay Courts
They have only ever played each other once on clay and that was at the 2011 Rome Masters, with Rafa winning the match in straight sets (6-1, 6-3).
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Rome Masters | Quarterfinals | RN | 6-1, 6-3 |
Matches Played per Year
Their first match was in 2009 (Beijing), with their last match being in 2019 (New York).
So far Rafa has dominated their H2H, with Marin winning only two of the nine matches they have played on tour.
| Year | Matches | Nadal Wins | Cilic Wins | H2H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 | – | 1 | 0-1 |
| 2010 | – | – | – | 0-1 |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | – | 2-1 |
| 2012 | – | – | – | 2-1 |
| 2013 | – | – | – | 2-1 |
| 2014 | – | – | – | 2-1 |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | – | 3-1 |
| 2016 | – | – | – | 3-1 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | – | 5-1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6-2 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | – | 7-2 |
| 2020 | – | – | – | 7-2 |
| 2021 | – | – | – | 7-2 |
| 2022 | – | – | – | 7-2 |
Below are match highlights from their meeting in the 4th round of the US Open in 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times has Marin Cilic beaten Rafael Nadal?
Marin has beaten Rafa twice in his career to date (2009 Beijing and 2018 Australian Open).
How many times have they played each other?
They have faced each other a total of nine times on tour (2009 Beijing, 2011 Australian Open, 2011 Rome Open, 2015 Basel Indoors, 2017 Mexican Open, 2017 Shanghai Masters, 2018 Australian Open, 2018 Canada Masters, and 2019 US Open)
When did they first play each other?
Their first match was in Beijing in 2009, where Marin won the match 6-1, 6-3.
Has Marin Cilic ever beaten Nadal at Roland Garros?
They have yet to play each other at Roland Garros.
Have they ever played each other on grass?
No, they have yet to play each other in a grass tournament.
Have they ever played doubles together?
To date, They have not played competitive doubles together.