Marin Cilic records 600th win of career with victory over Learner Tien in Dallas

Marin Cilic pulled off the first upset of this year’s Dallas Open on Tuesday afternoon, taking out No. 6 seed Learner Tien in the first round of the ATP 500 indoor event, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

And with that, the 2014 US Open champion hit a big career milestone—it was the incredible 600th win of his career.

He joins some very exclusive lists with that feat.

First of all, he’s the first man born in 1988 or later to reach that milestone—and the second active men’s player to achieve the feat, after, of course, Novak Djokovic, who was born in 1987.

He’s also the first Croatian man in the Open Era to hit that number. Goran Ivanisevic was agonizingly close—the 2001 Wimbledon champion finished his career with 599 wins.

And finally, he’s the 29th man in the Open Era to win 600 matches, and the 10th man born in 1980 or later to do it, joining some very notable names on that last list.

MOST WINS, MEN BORN IN 1980 OR LATER (tour-level):

• 1,251: Roger Federer [born in 1981]
• 1,168: Novak Djokovic [born in 1987]
• 1,080: Rafael Nadal [born in 1986]
• 739: Andy Murray [born in 1987]
• 734: David Ferrer [born in 1982]
• 640: Tomas Berdych [born in 1985]
• 616: Lleyton Hewitt [born in 1981]
• 612: Andy Roddick [born in 1982]
• 610: Richard Gasquet [born in 1986]
• 600: Marin Cilic [born in 1988]

Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils, who were born in 1985 and 1986, respectively, could become the next players to join that list—they have 586 and 583 career wins as of right now. Both are playing the final seasons of their career this year.

In Dallas on Tuesday, both sets could have gone either way.

Tien has his chances in the first set, not only holding two break points in Cilic’s 2-3 service game, but then coming within two points of the set with him serving at 4-5, deuce. But from that moment the Croat caught fire, winning three straight games—and 10 of the next 12 points—to take a one-set lead.

After six straight holds to start the second set, Cilic broke in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead, held for 5-3 and even had match point in each of the next two games—one with Tien serving at 3-5, ad-out, and one while he himself served at 5-4, 40-30. But Tien saved them both and broke back for 5-all.

After two routine holds, they were dead even at 4-all in the tie-break when Cilic pulled away, winning the last three points in a row—and closing it out with one last forehand winner.

Awaiting the former world No. 3 in the second round will be the winner of the all-American first-round match on Wednesday between Ethan Quinn and wild card Trevor Svajda.