When Marin Cilic was searching for a coach in 2020, he turned to someone he had known his entire life: his childhood friend and neighbor, Vilim Visak. Over the next several years, their partnership brought some memorable results on the ATP Tour. But now, the 37-year-old has announced the end of that chapter, in what felt less like a typical coach-player split and more like an emotional farewell between two lifelong friends.

“My dear friend. We’ve known each other since we were teenagers, living door to door, practicing 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 in his Instagram post.

The 2014 US Open Champion also highlighted the standout moments of their time working together and expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards Visak.

“The road to the Roland Garros semifinals will always be one of my favorite 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.” 

The partnership started in 2020 and resulted in some of Cilic’s most significant achievements during the later part of his career. They have won three ATP Tour titles together, in Stuttgart and St. Petersburg in 2021, and together led Cilic to the semi-finals of Roland Garros in 2022, making him the fifth active player and 24th in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slams. 

He closed the message on a warm, open-ended note. “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 (translates to ‘Thank you, my friend’!”)

On the post, Visak commented: “Hvala care, sretno dalje 👊 (which translates to ‘Thank you, king, good luck further’).”

Višak also stood by Cilic during one of the toughest phases of his career. The Croatian was limited to just two tournaments in 2023 after undergoing knee surgery earlier that year. His comeback was short-lived, lasting barely two months before he required a second operation on the same knee in 2024. The coach later described his approach to keeping Cilic motivated through that period in typically understated terms. 

Cilic eventually fought his way back to the tour, winning his 21st career title as a wildcard in Hangzhou in 2024, the very comeback title referenced so warmly in his farewell message.

Cilic’s split joins a wave of coaching changes sparked after Wimbledon

Marin Cilic’s announcement comes in the midst of a larger coaching shuffle that has followed this year’s Wimbledon, as several big-time names on the ATP Tour have made changes in their coaching arsenal. 

Felix Auger-Aliassime ended his nearly decade-long partnership with Frederic Fontang, a coach who had worked with him since he was just 16, just days after a grueling five-set quarter-final defeat to Novak Djokovic. The Canadian had been talking about his form for weeks before and was very open about it after his Roland Garros exit, when he admitted that he was “not the player I want to be.” Before Wimbledon, he had envisioned reaching the final but fell short in the quarter-finals instead. 

Jiri Lehecka split with his longtime coach Michal Navratil after an eight-year stint together, and Daniil Medvedev parted ways with Thomas Johansson, following a third-round exit to Jan-Lennard Struff. Johansson confirmed the split graciously on social media, writing: 

“After almost one year working together, Daniil and I have decided to part ways. I want to thank Daniil for his trust and his hard work during this time and I wish him and his team all the best for the future.”

Cilic’s split also falls into the same pattern as other players who are evaluating their teams halfway into the season. Unlike the other separations, it’s less of a professional reset and more of a closing chapter between two childhood friends.