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FEVER-TREE CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2018

Marin Cilic

London, England

M. CILIC/N. Djokovic

5-7, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You made your match point count today. How do you feel?
MARIN CILIC: I'm feeling great. Things turned around from last year to this year. It was a similar scenario, and this year I was the one that was the happier guy at the end. And looking at all the match, it was a great level of play.

I was, you know, having more chances in that first set, several break points. I didn't convert them. Novak was coming up with some good serves in those critical points, and I lost my service game towards the end of that first set.

I felt that overall I was playing well. I was, you know, struggling a little bit with my service today. I was not, you know, happy with the percentage of the first serve, and I had to dig a lot, especially from the rallies. And, you know, playing like that against Novak, you're putting yourself under much more pressure, but I was extremely happy with the way I was hitting the ball from both sides, forehand and backhand. I was hitting it really clean and very aggressive. That was giving me great, great confidence in my belief.

I felt that when I'm going to raise my level of the serving, I'm going to be the one who can even take control of the match. Lucky that I played a great tiebreak again, similar, like yesterday, and third set was another great set.

Q. You also faced a match point at 5-4. What was going through your mind at that time?
MARIN CILIC: Well, I felt that I was starting to serve a little bit better towards end of the second, and I felt even in that game, even though he had a match point that I was, you know, pretty relaxed, very confident I'm going to, you know, either hit a big serve or I'm going to, you know, have a good shot in the rally.

So I was keeping my mental attitude really strong and keeping on with my own game. You can't just change too much even when you're break point or match point down. You have to keep going, and that's what I did. Today it paid out really well.

Q. So you were runner-up here last year and runner-up at Wimbledon. Winner here this year. Winner at Wimbledon?
MARIN CILIC: Hopefully (smiling). You know, if those things go like that every single time, that would be great.

But I'm feeling great. Obviously amazing week behind me. Went through the draw, really difficult draw, I have to say. From the first round to the last match it was all great quality players and one of the toughest tournaments I have won apart the US Open victory. So really pleased with that and, you know, feeling really confident about Wimbledon, as well.

Q. Speaking of great players, Novak today, how good is he playing? Is he a contender for Wimbledon as far as you're concerned?
MARIN CILIC: I think that most importantly for him he showed consistent level of play during all week, you know, even against Dimitrov, even yesterday against Chardy. Today he was serving great.

You know, I broke him just at second last game, and even most of the break points I had he was coming up with some great serves.

So definitely he's gonna be one of the contenders to win. You know, it's still looking from the side and also playing him obviously it's different than what he's feeling, but, you know, I feel that he's playing great tennis.

Q. Why do you think you have maintained such a high standard over the last year?
MARIN CILIC: I think I'm improving every single week. As a player, I got great experience obviously and in last couple years I learned a lot about myself, my training, recovery, and I felt I brought that up on another level for me, you know, just trying to pay attention to every single detail.

You know, even looking at the week like it was this one, you know, every single match, difficult opponents, but I was very focused coming up with good tennis and keeping my attitude really strong. That's something that has given me a lot of great matches and great weeks in last, I would say, maybe year and a half and even two years.

So extremely happy with that, and, you know, looking ahead, I'm always trying to motivate myself, challenge myself to move forward. You know, the game is always evolving, a lot of great players around. You know, the competition is getting stronger and stronger, so you have to always adapt and be better and better.

Q. Big weekend for the Croats. Did you watch Borna before?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, big week for Croats. I didn't watch. Unfortunately, we watched football (smiling) before the match. Amazing win for Borna, obviously, beating Alex in the first round and going through the draw and then beating Roger, as well, today. Amazing effort for him, first title on grass and first 500, so great week for Croatians.

Q. Could you sum up your feelings about Queen's as a tournament, what it is you like about the place, the people, atmosphere?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, even every single time I'm coming here you can feel the warmth of the people and the club, as well. It's got such a great history, but it's got amazing soul, as well.

Coming here, you know, meeting all the groundsmen and guys taking care of the courts, especially Graham, he's done so well in all of the years I have been coming. And I don't know how many years he's been working, but always amazing courts here and always a pleasure to play here and everything else, you know, from the players lounge, restaurant. Everything is so easy. Feels like home and just a pleasure to play.

Another great thing about it is the crowd. Every single match, you know, it's packed. They love tennis. They cheer for the players. You know, it's just a joy to play.

Q. Speaking of a good week for Croatia, it could potentially get better. With you at Wimbledon and the way they're playing World Cup, it's not inconceivable to go all the way. If you two, the national team and you were playing on the same day, Sunday, Wimbledon final, if it's a match like today, it's a pretty good chance your match would have gone through the entire World Cup final completely. How do you think at home that would be watched in terms of you and Croatia? And do you think Wimbledon should have put their final earlier to avoid any such...
MARIN CILIC: I don't think so. I think people would watch half and half on TV, you know, one TV here, one TV there, and cheer for both (smiling).

No, it's great to follow World Cup. It's definitely a joy, especially this time of the year. You know, so many nations, also from the players here at the tournament are participating and watching, and so along with tennis, it's, I think, a great month to follow.

And definitely it's a pleasure to also, for me, to play so well this week, to see Croatia do well, and, you know, hopefully they're going to keep going and I, as well, in Wimbledon.

Q. Looking into Wimbledon, given Roger's defeat today, does that make him dangerous or vulnerable?
MARIN CILIC: I don't know. You know, I think still he had a great two weeks. Hasn't played two weeks in a row for a long time, especially apart the Grand Slams. So definitely a little bit different on his body, as well.

But, you know, still he had a tough match today, three-setter against Borna who obviously had amazing week. You know, I think Roger, motivational level I think just slightly better and higher on Grand Slams, and you can see that throughout so many years that he's been showing the best tennis at Grand Slam levels.

Q. With this title, are you the favorite now?
MARIN CILIC: I don't know. I'm not looking at it like that. I'm not obsessed by it. I feel that I'm playing great. That's what I need to do, you know, have a few days of rest and practice and just do things well on my own part of the court.

You know, even if you're playing maybe great tennis, you can come up playing against somebody who's got amazing day and lose still.

Just focusing on myself, keeping going on my own things and I feel that my game is clicking really nicely and hopefully I can deliver great tennis.

Q. When you were growing up, that little club where Goran also played, it's clay. You have turned into one of the great grass court players. Did you ever envisage that grass would become your most successful surface?
MARIN CILIC: Not at all. Still at home, in my house at home where my family is, I still have, in my own room on the wall, you know, just like an interview from the newspapers when I was 13, 14, something like that, you know, a dream to play one day at Wimbledon. You know, that was the dream. It was not that my best surface is going to be grass or whatever (smiling).

It was just a kid playing tennis and enjoying it. You know, for a kid, unknown world, you know, you don't know what you have to do, how good you are and what the future brings. Just amazing to see how much this career has brought me, this tennis, and I love it so much I'm, you know, in love with it definitely and enjoying every single moment, you know, even in the bad times, even in the good times, and, you know, trying to, you know, get to the best level possible for myself.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
MARIN CILIC: I think what definitely makes it special is it's another 500 title and looking at a great week, especially at the time of the year it is just before Wimbledon. Knowing that it's such a short season on grass, you have to be ready every single match, every single point, basically, to play great tennis.

So it means definitely a lot, maybe one of the best successes I had throughout my career and, you know, really glad that it came here again.

Q. Does this victory give you more belief going into Wimbledon?
MARIN CILIC: I think it just, you know, gives you a sign that you're playing great tennis when you're put under pressure. You know, even playing Novak who has been so many times in the final, I guess it was his 98th final, if I heard well on the court, so he has that huge experience. And being set down even under pressure tells me that I've mentally done really well.

That's something I'm going to take out positively from this week. I played great tennis, managed to win, managed to find a way to win, and feeling definitely very strong for coming weeks.

Q. What are your plans next week? Planning to go home or...
MARIN CILIC: No, no, definitely not. Staying around here, and tomorrow I'm going to definitely have a day off and practice at Aorangi and then Wimbledon courts so we can use them, try them from Wednesday or Thursday, a few media things, as well, and just relax around here.

Q. You mentioned that you wanted to play a bit different last year. Would you consider playing in a wheelchair against Novak?
MARIN CILIC: Not really. That's too difficult. The guys are incredibly, amazingly talented to do that, and, you know, I don't think we would be able to play even two points (smiling). I don't think so.

Q. How are your feet? Any special plans for Wimbledon to take care of them?
MARIN CILIC: Yeah, feet are good (smiling). They have been moving well throughout the week. So now a little bit of rest and just enjoy my time with my team. Also my first title as a married man, so it feels good.

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