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FEVER-TREE CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2018

Marin Cilic

London, England

M. CILIC/F. Verdasco

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Well played today. You looked pretty solid out there. Good first match on grass.
MARIN CILIC: Yeah. You know, as I mentioned as well there, I felt I prepared really well for the match, considering on the other side of the net was Fernando, great quality player.

I lost to him few times already, and that just pushed me to be ready from the first point. I got into the match really well. I served well straightaway from the beginning. It wasn't easy. The wind was blowing from one end to another and then was changing a bit and managed to get that break. Served out the first set.

The second one, I got break also quite early and managed to hold my serve very comfortably.

Really pleased with today, and I knew obviously if Fernando is hot, he can play great tennis, so I'm pleased to win it in straight sets.

Q. Just chatted to Nick a short while ago and he was talking about Roger's own form on grass this year already and how he's just already come back seamlessly and looked perfectly. You were the best player on grass besides Roger last year and you weren't fit enough to play him in the final, really.
MARIN CILIC: Yeah.

Q. What do you do to stop this guy on grass this year? How do go that next stage and win Wimbledon?
MARIN CILIC: Well, I mean, you have to do things well on your end, focus on yourself, improve every single match. You know, you can't really focus on the guys around yourself, you know, in the draw.

In the end, you have to execute the best you can, your own things, your own part of the court, and, you know, hope and believe that it's going to be enough (smiling).

It's great, you know, great seeing Roger back so good again. You know, he's one of the unique guys that with those long breaks he comes back and plays as he was playing every single match in last few weeks.

It's going to be interesting, definitely. The grass court season, it's short but it's sweet, as well.

Q. Do you believe you're back at the levels of last year? And when you were there last year before those blisters in the final, were you going into that match thinking I'm going to win this, and I'm good enough to beat Federer right now?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, I felt that. I felt confident. I know that my level of the game was really high. I played great tennis. Went through the draw really good. I had a few tough matches obviously with Gilles and with Querrey in semis, but I felt really confident coming into that match.

I played already with Roger a couple times as well in Wimbledon. I was close to beat him in 2016. I had, I don't know, couple match points. But anyway, I was feeling confident.

This year, you know, it's a new year, new season. You start all over again. You can't live on, you know, on the glory from last year. You have to show that again, and hopefully, you know, this tournament is going to bring me back to the form, bring that memories of playing great and obviously, you know, I'm pushing myself to get better and better every single match.

Q. You keep managing to peak for these Grand Slams, which must be really encouraging for you.
MARIN CILIC: Yeah.

Q. What are you changing about your preparation to peak at those times? What can you do to...
MARIN CILIC: I'm trying to figure that out, too. It's weird (smiling). But it's exciting, as well. I love to play Grand Slams. I love those matches and best-of-five sets. I feel mentally and physically I'm strong. Also, game-wise, if I'm backing that up, I'm tough to beat.

I'm also trying to figure that out on the Masters 1000 events and other tournaments. Just I think motivationally maybe I'm a little bit more motivated in those tournaments and just brings me that edge. I'll definitely work on the Masters 1000 events, too.

Q. Grass season, do you think it is maybe too short, and should it be longer in the future?
MARIN CILIC: They extended it already for a week, and it's difficult also to put new weeks, because, you know, not many places around the world they know how to deal with grass. And here in England, we are so spoiled with grass courts, and the grass courts are incredibly, you know, incredible to play on.

I think the season is quite okay for the grass. You know, I think it just gives enough time for everybody to play and then to get ready for Wimbledon, as well.

Looking back couple years ago, when we talked about that extra week, adding it was sort of blurry. We didn't know if it's going to be good or not, but it ended up being great for the guys. That change was great one, and I feel that's really good that we have another week.

Q. What about a Masters tournament on the grass? There's a Masters tournament on every other surface.
MARIN CILIC: I don't know. I don't think so. You know, we have these two 500s that are great tournaments, here and Halle, most of the guys are playing. I think it's fairly spread. You know, here we have, you know, 10, 15, maybe even more guys that were in top 10 certain stages of their career, and in Halle, as well.

Both fields are great. I think for the crowd, it's nice to have, as well, two options. I think it's okay.

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