Marin Cilic shared some disappointing news with his fans before the start of Wimbledon main draw action as he withdrew from the tournament.
Cilic's absence from the grass-court Grand Slam was caused by a positive coronavirus test, which the Croatian claimed in a post on the social media platform Instagram.
Cilic enjoyed a fine Roland Garros campaign. He made the semis after scoring eye-catching wins over Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev before losing to eventual runner-up Casper Ruud.
The former US Open champion carried that momentum to the grass-court swing, reaching the last four at Queen's, and was a good contender to make the deep end of the draw at this year's Wimbledon.
Cilic has impressed in his visits to the SW19. He was runner-up in 2017 (lost to Roger Federer) and made three successive quarterfinals before that. He has always savored his best tennis on grass, as it makes his pinpoint serve and flat groundstrokes quite tricky to deal with.
However, the timing of contracting COVID-19 is very disappointing, as he has now pulled out from Wimbledon. He stated that he was "heartbroken" to be missing a Grand Slam, as he is currently feeling unwell and is prioritizing self-isolation and recovery.
Several of his fans wished him a quick recovery, and the 33-year-old will most likely return to action when the hard-court swing in North America begins in late July.
"Hey guys, I am sad to share that I tested positive for COVID. I have been self-isolating and was hopeful I would be ready but unfortunately, I am still feeling unwell & unable to compete at my best. I am heartbroken to be missing Wimbledon & to see my grass season end this way. Looking forward to competing again next year!"