Marin Cilic Ends Jack Pinnington Jones’ Breakout Run in Dallas Quarterfinals
Jack Pinnington Jones’ dream week in Dallas came to a close Friday, but not before the 22-year-old Brit made a name for himself on the ATP Tour. Facing off against former US Open champion Marin Cilic in his first career ATP quarterfinal, Pinnington Jones fell 6-1, 6-4 in a match that lasted just 78 minutes. But the result doesn’t erase what’s been a breakout performance from the young player - one that could mark the beginning of a promising pro career.
Cilic, the 37-year-old veteran and former world No. 3, showed his experience from the jump. After Pinnington Jones held serve to open the match, Cilic dialed in, breaking four times and reeling off five straight games to take the first set handily.
The second set was tighter, but the Croatian’s consistency and court coverage proved too much. He broke in the fifth game and, despite facing two break points while serving for the match, closed things out with the poise of a player who’s been here many times before.
Cilic now moves on to face the winner of an all-American clash between top seed Taylor Fritz and Sebastian Korda, with a spot in the final on the line.
But let’s not overlook what this week meant for Pinnington Jones.
The 22-year-old had to fight his way through two rounds of qualifying just to make the main draw in Dallas. Then he turned heads with a pair of statement wins - first over world No.
20 Flavio Cobolli, then against 68th-ranked American Eliot Spizzirri. That run not only earned him a quarterfinal berth, but also the biggest win of his career to date, and a projected jump of 43 spots in the ATP rankings - from No. 181 to No.
It’s been a steady climb for Pinnington Jones in 2024. After a tough loss in Australian Open qualifying, he rebounded by reaching the final of the Soma Bay Challenger in Egypt. That momentum clearly carried into Dallas, where he strung together four straight wins before running into a seasoned opponent in Cilic.
This rise comes on the heels of a major decision in his tennis journey. Pinnington Jones chose not to return for his final year at Texas Christian University, opting instead to go all-in on the pro circuit after wrapping up his junior season last May. That move is already paying dividends.
Against Cilic, the gap in experience was evident. After a solid start, Pinnington Jones struggled to hold serve under pressure, particularly in the first set. In the second, he hung tough and even created a pair of break chances late, but Cilic’s composure in the big moments sealed the deal.
Still, this week was a clear sign that Pinnington Jones is ready to compete at the ATP level - and he’s not just sneaking into draws anymore. He’s winning matches, beating top-20 players, and showing the kind of grit and upside that could make him a fixture on tour.
Mboko's Magic Continues in Qatar
Meanwhile, over in Doha, 19-year-old Victoria Mboko continues to steal the spotlight at the Qatar Open. The Canadian teenager backed up her stunning upset of Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina with another headline-grabbing win - this time over 2017 French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko.
Mboko was in control from the start, taking down Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 to punch her ticket to the final. She’ll now face Karolina Muchova, who came from behind to defeat Maria Sakkari 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 - a day after Sakkari had knocked out world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a thriller.
For Mboko, this run in Qatar has been nothing short of electric. She’s not just beating big names - she’s doing it with a calm confidence that belies her age. The final against Muchova promises to be a compelling clash of styles: the Canadian’s fearless shot-making versus the Czech’s all-court craft.
Both Mboko and Pinnington Jones have made it clear this week - the next generation is arriving, and they’re not waiting around for permission.