TENNIS US OPEN – 2nd of September 2014. M. Cilic d. G. Simon 5-7, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. An interview with Marin Cilic
Q. What do you feel as though you’re doing especially well right now that has gotten you to this stage in the tournament?
MARIN CILIC: Well, I’m playing more consistent in this last four, five months. I think overall I improved my game and I learned actually to play with my sort of new style. I’m serving a bit better than what I used to a couple of years ago. I needed definitely some matches just to find my game, what to do in the court, how I feel in the court, and I feel now that it’s really on a good spot.
Q. How would you describe that new style? What exactly do you mean?
MARIN CILIC: I mean, not new style but just a little bit different. I’m serving much better. That sort of allows me to have more opportunities in the match on the return service, return of serve, as I can be more aggressive. I can play more risky, as I can, you know, rely on my serve that I’m going to win those service games comfortably. Definitely, you know, that puts a lot of pressure on the guys so I can, in the return games, play very differently from one to the other and change up my game.
Q. And the next match? What are your thoughts if it’s Berdych?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, we played in Wimbledon not too long ago. I mean, Tomas is very dangerous player. He’s very consistent throughout the year. He’s always pushing you to play your best to actually beat him. I hope I’m going to be on a good level of tennis if we gonna match up. Definitely very interesting too. I mean, for me as well he’s not unbeatable, but definitely very tough task. But for quarterfinals in a major, I think for both of us is good opportunity.
Q. This match that you won, can you describe the physical toll that it took and what maybe you even proved to yourself by coming through it as you did?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, it was amazing victory. Just very difficult to go through different stages during the match. We started the match and was very hot. You don’t know how long you gonna last and how long the match is gonna be. I knew that Gilles, he likes tough conditions. He’s grinder, counterpuncher, runs a lot and doesn’t mind. I wanted to, in some moments, shorten up the points, mix it up, and expand a little bit the game that we don’t end up all the time in the same routine of the rallies. It was, I think, very, very good from my own side that I came back very strong in the beginning of the fifth. Mentally I was there. I think that made, you know, huge difference for me to build up the game in the last set.
