What began at 10:10pm Saturday evening and concluded at 2:20am Sunday, is one for the ages. Marin Cilic, the #7 seed and 2014 US Open champion, battled and dug his way out from two sets down to defeat 19-year-old Alex de Minaur 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the 4th round.

The fans that remained in Armstrong stadium were treated to an epic, five-set thriller in which both players demonstrated jaw-dropping technique, patience, determination, and guts.

De Minaur, born in Sydney, Australia, has been mentored by two-time grand slam champion, Lleyton Hewitt and has reached a career-high ranking of #43. After his extraordinary performance last evening, his popularity and ATP ranking no doubt will rise.

Cilic opened the match and immediately got a preview of the next four hours: de Minaur struck an amazing forehand down the line winner for 0-15. The teenager was not at all intimidated by the Croatian’s huge serve. Cilic finally managed to hold after saving two break points when de Minaur netted a backhand.

The young Australian had his own difficulties in his first service game, facing break point when Cilic crushed an overhead smash. Both were striking the ball from the baseline with conviction and depth. Cilic executed an incredible backhand down the line to break serve for a 2-0 lead.

Cilic donated two double faults in the following game to go down double break point. De Minaur broke when Cilic’s cross-court forehand went wide. De Minaur held with an ace for 2-2.

On serve at 3-3, Cilic came under pressure as de Minaur consistently tracked down balls that appeared out of reach. The Croatian thought he had hit a winning drop shot but de Minaur not only reached it but struck a brilliant cross-court forehand winner.

Cilic now appeared rattled and unsure of his strategy. He faced break point when he missed a forehand down the line and de Minaur converted when Cilic’s inside-out forehand went wide.

Despite throwing in a double fault, de Minaur held to 15 and maintained the lead at 5-3. Cilic had a game point at 40-30 but missed a running forehand. He had another game point after hitting an ace but soon found himself back at deuce when the young Australian hit an incredible backhand passing shot. Cilic finally held after three deuces when de Minaur’s return went wide.

De Minaur, serving for the set at 5-4 continued to impress with his poise, formidable serve, and spectacular movement. He closed out the game and first set with an ace out wide.

Cilic, who will turn thirty the end of this month, continued to go for his shots as well as his serve and held to 15 to open the second set. Although he faced a break point in his opening service game, de Minaur held following a huge serve down the middle and an exquisite drop shot.

Cilic, serving at 1-1 faced break point when his forehand found the net and dropped serve when he butchered a cross-court forehand. De Minaur held to 15 and consolidated the break.

De Minaur continued to unnerve Cilic by striking the return on the run which consistently paid off. Down 1-3, Cilic double faulted to face double-break point. De Minaur converted when Cilic netted a backhand.

At this point, it looked as if the teenager would run away with the second set but Cilic hung tough and with a remarkable inside-out forehand approach and two crisp volleys, earned two break points. The Croatian broke back when de Minaur shanked a backhand.

Cilic held to 15 for 3-4. De Minaur held to 15 for a 5-3 lead displaying a mature, all-court game including a well-executed drop shot and cross-court backhand winner. Cilic served to stay in the set but was broken when he donated another double fault.

Both held in their opening service games of the third set. Cilic earned double break point in the third game following an outstanding backhand down the line winner and converted when de Minaur’s forehand sailed long.

Although he faced a break point when his cross-court backhand missed wide, Cilic consolidated the break with a massive serve and forehand down the line winner.

Undaunted by the Croatian’s resurgence, de Minaur demonstrated the hallmarks of a champion by holding at love for the first time. Cilic returned the favor and held at love to maintain the lead in the third set.

Serving down 2-4, the teenager opened with an ace and finished receiving a well-deserved ovation. Each player’s full repertoire of strokes was on display in this exceptionally electrifying game. They traded slice backhands that barely skimmed the net as well as drop shots and stab volley winners. In a game that went to deuce 5 times, de Minaur saved three break points to hold for 3-4.

Unable to get the break, Cilic remained steadfast and held for 5-3 displaying superb agility and powerful groundstrokes. De Minaur served to stay in the set but was unable to hold following a slew of unforced errors. Cilic, having reasserted himself by taking the third set 6-3, pumped his fist as he approached the chair and it was obvious the tide had turned, and the momentum had shifted.

Cilic served first to open the fourth and held to 30. De Minaur held at love for 1-1. They remained on serve thru seven games. In the eighth game, de Minaur maintained his poise and held, still swinging from the rafters despite facing six deuces and five break points.

He was not as fortunate in his next service game as he double-faulted to go down double set point. Cilic seized the moment and racing forward, struck a scintillating cross-court backhand winner to clinch the fourth set 6-4.

Those that remained in Armstrong were captivated by the high-level of play in addition to the passion of these two admirable opponents and it was only fitting that it would take a fifth set to declare a winner.

Cilic served first in the fifth and held at love following two consecutive aces. De Minaur returned the favor and held at love following a monstrous second serve and a forehand down the line winner.

Cilic faced a break point in his following service game when he missed a backhand passing shot and was broken when he overcooked a forehand. De Minaur was unable to consolidate the break as he was broken following aggressive play by Cilic that had the teenager on his heels.

Level at 2-2, Cilic faced a break point when he netted a forehand. The young Australian was issued a code violation for racquet abuse when he was unable to convert the break point. Cilic held when de Minaur’s return sailed long.

At this juncture in the match, it appeared as if the wheels had come off as de Minaur seemed distracted and perhaps exhausted, both physically and mentally. He opened the sixth game with a double fault and in a blink of an eye, was down triple break point. He managed to save two but for Cilic, the third time was the charm.

In perhaps the greatest point of the match, Cilic, hitting behind de Minaur, snuck in and put away a forehand volley to break for 4-2 in the final set. The crowd rose to its feet as they knew they were witnessing something extraordinary that most certainly would always be remembered.

Cilic consolidated the break with an ace for a commanding 5-2 lead but unbeknownst to him, this match was far from over. Just four points from a spot in the fourth round, Cilic looked to break in the following game but de Minaur had other plans.

The teenager miraculously came back from the brink; despite a double fault, eight deuces and five match points, de Minaur was relentless, tracking down balls that appeared to be winners. Cilic was unnerved as he continued to commit errors off the forehand side.

The crowd was stunned and in complete disbelief. Cilic served for the match at 5-3 and despite having an additional match point, was unable to cross the finish line as de Minaur continued to stalk the baseline and charge the net.

The young Australian, buoyed by the cheers of the fans still in attendance, managed to quiet his mind long enough to unload on the forehand, hold serve and level the match at five games apiece.

In times of despair, some rise while others fall. Marin Cilic, who reached a career-high ranking of #3 earlier this year, stared down his opponent and his own demons. He emphatically staked his claim holding at love.

De Minaur had to hold to force a tiebreaker but quickly found himself down 0-40, triple match point. The forehand, which had repeatedly let Cilic down, now carried him to victory as he crushed a cross-court forehand winner to clinch the set 7-5 and advance to the fourth round.

The skies the limit for de Minaur. He finished with 37 winners to 36 unforced, 6 aces and 9 double faults. He won 20/29 points at net and converted 7/13 break points. He demonstrated that he possesses not only the physical but the mental stamina to compete at an exceedingly high level over five sets.

Cilic gets to live another day following a self-assured and gutsy victory over a worthy opponent. In the following round, Cilic will face the #10 seed, David Goffin, who leads their head to head 3-2.