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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2018

Marin Cilic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

M. CILIC/R. Nadal

3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 2-0 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You went from losing the third set, despite dominating it, to winning the match after something quite spectacular. How did it feel the last 30 minutes of the match?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, in that third set I felt that I was having a lot of opportunities, just I was not able to convert on them. A lot of small chances, a lot of points on 30-All, some breakpoints. Rafa, often as we see him, he always finds the way to win those points, get through that, weather the storm a bit, especially at the beginning the third where I pressed a little bit more in those first couple games.

It was a little bit unfortunate for me to lose that tiebreak. I was 3-2 up in the tiebreak, serving with two serves, also from the end where it was a little bit of a breeze coming. Yeah, was just a little bit unfortunate to lose it.

After that, I felt I made a good mental decision that I want to lift up a little bit with my game just with intensity, try to forget about that third set, and especially at the beginning of the fourth bring up my energy and intensity. Also I started to hit a little bit more free.

Overall from that moment, end of the third until end of the match, I was hitting the ball unbelievably well.

Q. Did you see something was wrong with him? Was it tough to go on playing this level without watching too much what was happening?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, I realized only when he took a medical timeout. It was at 4-1 in the fourth.

But I happen to be not often but sometimes in these occasions where player gets hurt a bit, so you're not exactly sure what are his possibilities, how is he going to come up.

I just tried to stay in my own box and continue with playing well, continue with that intensity. I had Love-40 that game, 4-1, didn't break. It was Love-15 straightaway, and that little bit of exchange at the net where I played a dropshot. That was maybe one of the most critical points in that fourth set. I kept with my own game, with the plan. Obviously it paid up.

In the end very unfortunate because Rafa is always fighting really hard, always giving the best on the court. I guess in the pre-season he had some troubles with the injuries, but he came here prepared really, really well. He played a very good tournament. Obviously very sad for him to finish the way he did.

Q. Does it remind you a little bit what happened to you in the Wimbledon final where you also had problems?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, a little bit in the perspective of that. Obviously yes. Still for me, my focus and my mindset was to take care of my own part of the court, to think about my own game, without having distractions from Rafa.

Q. How satisfying was it for you to see yourself play so well?
MARIN CILIC: Extremely pleased with my own game. Even in these other matches before this one, I played great tennis. Very, very high level. Had a tough match against Carreno Busta in the last round. Then today, beginning of the match was not the best. I made some unforced errors in some moments. 4-3 serving with new balls, lost that set 6-3. I was a break down in the second.

I was always in that process where I want to keep going with my own game and try to lift up, lift up, keep pushing as much as I can. So extremely pleased with the performance.

Q. At the end of the press conference, when Nadal was speaking in Spanish, he said there are too many injuries, someone should think about it, too much tennis on hard courts. What is your feeling? He said the establishment should think with more sensibility because of so many injuries. What could be the solution?
MARIN CILIC: The calendar is there for so many years. Just in this last year, obviously beginning of this one, we see a lot of top guys that are injured. In the end it's on all of us to try to take care of our bodies, to try to pick the right schedule, to listen to our body, how it feels.

I completely understand there are a lot of tournaments that we play, mandatory tournaments. In my own perspective, we are all picking our own schedule.

It's tough to say, Okay, we going to take out two months of the season, cut that many tournaments, because tennis is such a global sport. Everywhere we play people enjoy it. I think tennis is getting more and more popular, which we really want also.

Q. He said it's not so much the number of the tournaments but the surface.
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, tough for me to say much. We are all very different. I also had troubles with my knees in the past because hard courts are different from here and there. It's also on me to try to take care of it and use the schedule the best I can.

Q. At what point did you realize he had retired from the match?
MARIN CILIC: Just at that last point. I saw him coming to the net, giving the handshake to the referee.

Q. Is it tricky because you're going to be the favorite against Kyle Edmund. How do you see that?
MARIN CILIC: For me, I'm going to prepare for that match like for any other one. Kyle had amazing run here. A lot of tough matches, played great tennis. He's also very entertaining to watch. Big hitter, great serve, great forehand. Plays great on the hard courts.

For me, another good opportunity. Obviously on the paper probably easier to play him than Rafa. But still he deserved a lot to be here at the spot where he is.

For me a big focus is to continue with my own game. I cannot influence him much across the net, but going to try to take care of my things on my part of the court. Hopefully I'm going to have another great match.

Q. What are your expectations to come to Buenos Aires?
MARIN CILIC: It will be a pleasure. I always had a good time in Argentina. Hopefully it's going to be a great week. Hopefully I'm going to be playing really well there, too.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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