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ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2019

Marin Cilic

Paris, France

M. CILIC/T. Fabbiano

6-3, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Are you happy with the level you play and the win, of course?
MARIN CILIC: Yes. I think generally I played quite well and the level was quite solid.

If you look at the whole match, maybe where I could have played a little bit better was that first eight, nine games and the second set on the return games. I had a few break points and a few chances to break, but I was not able to.

And then to the 4-All, just a little bit looser game where he broke me. But, you know, I also have to give credit to him because he played quite well.

And he was very solid from the back, was moving well, getting a lot of balls back. And, you know, I had to work a little bit more.

So, you know, I felt that I was close to break him. And then I kept my cool there at 5-4 when he served for the set and played quite a good game.

And then from that point on, I think everything lifted for me, and I played well good in the third set. I was serving great, moving really well and hitting well. So that was great to finish off the match like that.

Q. We know you are always very strong technically. When you come to Roland Garros, what do you think about in your preparation to give yourself the best chance to succeed here?
MARIN CILIC: You know, this year I would have wanted obviously to play few more matches on this tournaments. I had a couple of okay tournaments and a few losses. You know, in those tournaments I was just looking obviously to have match play. I had quite a lot of the training done in these last couple, two months. But in this week, I focused a lot just to have good intensity in the training, to have good focus.

You know, it's important when you come to the Grand Slams that you are focused every single session, that you can keep going on like that, also in the matches maybe transform that mentality. And I felt that I practiced well this whole last week, and I had some good sessions.

Happy with the level that I produced today in the first match.

Q. If you are pleading Grigor next, what do you expect? You have a good record against him and he's not in the best shape recently.
MARIN CILIC: You know, to play Grigor in the second round is one of the toughest draws. You know, obviously we'll see how it goes with his match.

But, you know, I have to prepare the best I can and to play, you know, my level of tennis and try to play as good as I can.

And I know that Grigor didn't have as many wins as we would expect him to see, but I still think that his level is good. He's playing really good and maybe just that, you know, one or two matches here and there can make a difference.

So I have to be also ready for my own side to play great, and we'll see. It's definitely a tough challenge, but, you know, I hope I can play great.

Q. What is your assessment of your form and your fitness compared to where you have won in the first round at Roland Garros in previous years? Does it give you any indication of where you are at right now?
MARIN CILIC: I'm pretty happy with the fitness level. I feel that I'm on a quite good level there. Also healthy, which is very important.

You know, just last year and the year before I had more match wins on the clay season and more match wins in general in the season, So that's the only difference. But I'm not too stressed about it.

I know that, you know, here, as I mentioned in the last question for Grigor as well, and even for me, a few match wins can make quite a big difference in terms of that confidence in match play.

So I'm confident at the moment at my own level, and I have to just keep going in the right direction.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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