Djokovic only needs this title to complete the set but he had to fight hard to overcome Cilic 6-4 3-6 6-3 on Saturday.
The result sets up a final - Djokovic’s sixth in Cincinnati - against the winner of the second semi between Roger Federer and David Goffin.
The downpours of earlier in the week were a distant memory as fans baked in the heat, and the sun certainly shone on Djokovic early on as Cilic sent a sliced backhand wide to hand the Serbian his first break in the third game.
Djokovic battled to preserve his break advantage during a sixth game in which he faced break point and an eighth that reached a fourth deuce, before wrapping up the opener with his first set point as Cilic overcooked a backhand.
Cilic quickly put that set behind him to race into a 3-0 lead at the beginning of the second.
A double break put the Croatian firmly in control of the set and, despite allowing Djokovic to pull one back, Cilic levelled the match at the third time of asking.
A Cilic forehand into the net handed Djokovic the initiative in the decider but a dispute with ATP Tour supervisor Tom Barnes at the side of the court - perhaps about the noise coming from a nearby concert, which had previously drawn the ire of the former world number one - seemed to distract him in the next.
After battling back to deuce from 40-0 down on his own serve, a double fault from Djokovic saw Cilic pull level.
But the 10th seed quickly regained focus and, having moved 5-3 in front, converted his second match point to book his place in Sunday’s final.
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