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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2020

Marin Cilic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

M. CILIC/R. Agut

6-7, 6-4, 6-0, 5-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What does this win mean to you? You had great wins in your career but this one, after some struggles, might mean a lot, no?
MARIN CILIC: Well, first of all, I have to say that possibly one of the toughest matches I played, just in terms of the level. Roberto played, like, from beginning until the end, he played I guess on his own level without too many ups and downs.

It was just extremely difficult physically and mentally both, and sustain it for more than four hours, it just gives me great satisfaction and, you know, feeling very proud, definitely.

It's great for me that I win these kind of matches against, you know, somebody like him who is in great form, playing great. I deserved every single point that I won today. That's another plus to it.

And on the critical situations, I played really well. And also physically was not easy to go through it and just overall everything positive, yeah.

Q. Back-to-back five-setters, had some treatment on your back. Is it wearing on you or are you feeling okay still?
MARIN CILIC: I'm feeling good. I felt my back in the last match, it was windy over there, and just started to pull it on my serve. Nothing too bad.

You know, this match definitely was grueling physically. It was not easy. We had a lot of rallies and a lot of, you know, difficult points, one after another, and just for playing like that for four hours was a great test. Mindset was incredible for me to bounce back after losing that fourth set.

Physically I was feeling a little bit tired and it was not easy to bounce back, but it was definitely a great fifth set, and I felt like I was serving the best in that set.

Q. What were you telling yourself in the fifth? What was the inner dialogue with yourself?
MARIN CILIC: You know, I felt that after I played one of if not the best set of my life in the third set and was just there on the roll and zoning in on every single point. So was there strategy-wise. Just went out of it a bit and started to lose a little bit longer rallies.

He was getting better at getting, you know, getting to me. So I had to obviously rethink back and come back to my own strategy. Definitely a great part to it was my serve. That helped me in the fifth set to win quite a few easy points.

But also that early break in the fifth. You know, just gave me a little bit more freedom to play with, and definitely was a huge, huge difference to have a break at the beginning.

Q. When you think about how well you have played in big matches before, was this some of the best tennis you think you have played overall in your career?
MARIN CILIC: It's tough to say. I honestly didn't think about it. I had quite a few great matches in the Grand Slams.

But as I mentioned at the beginning, this match was physically extremely tough, because Roberto is that kind of a player that he's not going to give you anything, and he plays extremely solid. He runs everything down. Returns really good. And even today he was serving really well. For first set and a half I felt like I didn't have my chance on his own serves, and it was definitely tough.

And then, yeah, overall really great, great win. I don't know where I would put it, but definitely a big, big win.

Q. If you look back at last year, as well, what do you think you learned from last year overall?
MARIN CILIC: Just in terms of the whole season, or...

Q. Yeah.
MARIN CILIC: You know, it was just a different season for me than many other ones that I had, due to various things. I spent quite a few emotions in 2018 with the Davis Cup, and it was long season again. You know, it was not easy to play, you know, a great season on my own on the ATP Tour.

And then again, playing for the Davis Cup, you know, four times in a year, that was extremely difficult on the body. And then during the season I felt that, you know, just my mindset and my physicalities went down a bit and was just difficult to sustain it for the whole season.

But, you know, those things are great to learn, great to see. You know, I'm entering this season with a fresh mind. Had a good time off at the end of the season, practiced well, and, you know, definitely here playing good. You know, just enjoying myself on the court and, you know, battling it out.

Q. Are you a bit worried about the recovery? Because you had five sets today and also five against Paire. Do you think you'll be fresh enough for the rest of the tournament?
MARIN CILIC: I think so. I think I will be okay for the next match absolutely.

Another great thing to it was today was nice weather to play. And then also in the Melbourne Arena is not too hot in there.

So I'll be okay. We were lucky with the weather there. We didn't get too crazy hot days. It was definitely easier to play with that. Tomorrow is going to be easy day. Probably a light hit or maybe even not. I'll see with my guys. You know, I'll be for sure ready for the next one.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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