	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 12, 2017

Marin Cilic

Wimbledon, London, England

M. CILIC/G. Muller

3-6, 7-6, 7-5, 5-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How would you describe your sense of belief and how it maybe is increasing as you've advanced in this tournament and now face your next opponent?
MARIN CILIC: I think that obviously goes back to the start of the tournament, even preparing for every single match in a same and similar routine. It has enabled me to, you know, come to the point and to the high level of tennis when I need to.

I think today was extremely important to be very mentally fresh and to believe obviously in my abilities, even though at the beginning of the match I didn't start so well. But I was, you know, quite focused and calm, even after dropping that first set, to continue on that path, to obviously believe that I'm going to continue to play good tennis.

Q. And for the next one?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, and for the next one, it's a similar process. It's another big match. Obviously a lot at stake.

But, you know, for me, the preparation is going to be very similar as any other match in this tournament. I'm going to be extremely focused on myself to do the things that I was doing really well so far in the tournament. Obviously in preparing the strategy, it's obviously going to be a little bit different than today. But those are always small details.

Q. You've been in this stage of a Grand Slam before, you've won a Grand Slam before. How much does your mind shift to the end game of what it takes to clinch a title here, thinking back to what you did in New York? What do you remember about what the keys were to get yourself peaking?
MARIN CILIC: I would say, you know, winning the US Open has helped me for all these Grand Slams I have played so far, and I believe the rest of my career. Preparation-wise I believe in my own abilities. I believe when coming at these stages of the tournament, I'm going to still be able to play great tennis. I know I have it in me that I can win. That's extremely important.

For the other part, you know, I think extremely important part is to be mentally fresh, mentally ready. It's a matter of a few points here and there that can make a huge difference. I believe these last couple months with being really mentally focused every single match has helped me to get to the point where I'm little bit stronger mentally. I believe that can make a huge difference.

Q. After his match today, Roger mentioned he predicted you would go deep in this tournament. How does that make you feel? Do you think it's too early to think about potentially facing him in the final?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, I would agree it's quite early. Still a huge match in front of me and in front of Roger, as well.

From the other side, it's great for me to hear that even him, and a lot of players around, even ex-players, when they were looking before the tournament started, that they were seeing me as a player that could go quite deep. That had given me a little bit more belief, a little bit more confidence that, you know, players and people around are also seeing that I'm in a great form, that I'm able to do great things.

I think that just gave me a little bit more reassurance in myself, and obviously a great power that I managed to get to that level.

Q. In terms of your coaching team, what is that relationship like between all of you? What have they helped bring to your game?
MARIN CILIC: I would really specify that we are really united as a team. We are doing most of the things really well. And I think communication in our team is really at the top. When Jonas came to coach me, I was still working with Ivan, the coach that was helping me when I was working with Goran before. The two of them combined really well. They both helped me to, you know, work on my game that we progressed to another level.

Definitely it wasn't easy, but now where we are at the top new level, I would say, lot of great things are in front of me.

Q. You could have had Rafa today, and Andy on Friday. How much attention have you been paying to that? How does that affect your mindset, them going out?
MARIN CILIC: I was obviously following them and following all the rest of the guys.

But for me, it didn't make a big difference. It's not going to make big difference. I'm still approaching every single match very similar. Players at this stage of the tournament are playing great tennis. You can't take that for granted.

But, you know, I think the only part that it could be easier for me is that Sam hasn't been at this part of the tournament so far, if I believe. Maybe that can have a small part in playing that match. But I don't think it's going to matter big-time.

Q. Speaking of Sam, you played him before in 2012, 2009, and beat him in five sets twice. Does that give you an advantage?
MARIN CILIC: We played few times. Most of the matches were very tight, quite long, especially here. Both of those were five sets. I think Sam played really well this year. Even last year over here in Wimbledon. He's got a big game, you know, potentially that can hurt anyone in the game.

For me, I have to get ready fully, to be very focused on my own game.

Q. What do you think was the key to finish the fourth set?
MARIN CILIC: When I won the second set, I felt that I was the one who just started to play a little bit better. I was the one who started to make a little bit more pressure and constantly I was more into Gilles' service games. That fourth set, I had I believe three breakpoints, and all of those -- actually, two of those we had rallies, and he came up with some good shots.

But still I felt that in that set I played really good tennis. I think I just reset myself a little bit after the fourth set. I didn't want to change anything because I didn't play too bad a set, and just to continue on that path. Obviously it made a huge difference to have a break at the beginning of the fifth.

Q. Do you feel you play better when you're slightly angry or pumped up? It seemed in that match you tended to produce a big point after being slightly frustrated.
MARIN CILIC: I think in my own self, I believe showing a little bit more positive emotions is helping me to I believe continue with aggressive tennis, with that mindset. That is something obviously that I was working on. Obviously it's paying off on the court.

I'm keeping on doing that (smiling).

Q. You made the most of an unfortunate situation, 2014, an extended period of time off on the tour. You came with a vengeance. Do you still reflect on that as an important part of your career? When you look at Roger taking six months off, does it make sense to you?
MARIN CILIC: I would say everyone is very different. We are all individuals. For some guys, some things are going to work. For some other ones, it's not going to work.

I believe for me huge difference was when I started to work with Goran, we changed my serving motion, serving routine. I believe that has helped me to, you know, win the US Open 2014, to play really well in those few years.

Now with working with Jonas, I believe we worked on some different aspects. I believe we just found a good formula for myself to play constantly on a good level. I believe that's something that I was missing during my career.

Now the moment, I would say, these last three months that I've played, maybe that was the most consistent tennis on a high level that I played ever in my career.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297