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PILOT PEN TENNIS PRESENTED BY SCHICKAugust 23, 2008Marin CilicNEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT M. CILIC/M. Fish 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for our champion. Q. Talk about your emotions right now after winning your first title. MARIN CILIC: Feeling very excited. The match was a little bit thrilling. It was a lot of ups and downs from both of us. But eventually in the third set I got my thoughts back and my rhythm. I was really pumped up when I had to be. Really enjoyed the moment in the end. Q. Can you talk about the game, you broke him in the first game of the third set, he broke right back. How did you manage in the third game to keep those emotions up and be able to break back again? MARIN CILIC: Even in the end of the second set, we broke each other three times in a row, and beginning of the third set also. Actually two times in the end of the second set. But I knew that I didn't lose anything at the beginning of the third set. When I lost my serve, I just lost the advantage. But I stayed calm and I knew that I'm gonna eventually get another chance. So I was prepared to wait for it. But I got immediately, then hold next games, which helped me to relax a little bit and to feel better on the court. Q. Did taking an early lead in the set calm you down a little bit from prematch jitters? MARIN CILIC: It did, yeah. It helped me to be a lot my game. I was serving very big in the first set. That helped me to get a lot of free points, which I was planning to do even before the match. And I knew he has a really good serve. He also, during like first two sets, was serving pretty good. Then in the third set, I think his serve went a little bit down and I took advantage of it and played really consistent from the back, not missing too much, making enough pressure on him. Q. Can you talk about the decision to receive? Were you thinking maybe your best chance to break him was in the first game? MARIN CILIC: Well, I was feeling that it's better that I get one game before I start to serve to get a little bit in the match, to hit few balls, just to feel how I'm gonna do in the first game, not to be too nervous. If I start first serving, that was really helpful. Q. How nervous were you coming out on court? MARIN CILIC: I wasn't. I wasn't at all. I was a little bit surprised because of that, playing first final, playing also home player, I mean, American player. I was really a little bit surprised. It helped me that I can focus only on my game. Q. What were your first thoughts when you won? MARIN CILIC: I was very relieved. I knew that beginning of the week wasn't that perfect. I struggled with Melzer. And today was also very tough match. I was just enjoying the moment. Q. Looked like you didn't quite know how to celebrate. You threw your hands up. Not sure how to act there. MARIN CILIC: Yeah (smiling). I was all over the place. My mind was rolling so much. But it's fine. Probably I'll get to know next time how to celebrate. Q. What did your mom say to you? MARIN CILIC: Nothing. They are very happy. They had a lot of relatives came to our house and they watched on TV. They were excited. Of course, very happy for me. They were always very supportive, even when I was younger all the time. They are a big help. Q. Did the crowd bother you or help you, that it was against you? MARIN CILIC: No, not really. I think they were quite fair. They were supportive, of course, more for Mardy. But didn't bother me too much. I was focused on myself and on the game. Q. How much of a confidence boost will this give you going into the Open? MARIN CILIC: Well, I'm feeling very well. I had a great week, won the last three, four matches like against good players. I'm feeling physically well. So I believe and I hope that I'm gonna continue with this good form at the Open, and also to make some progress over there. Q. What does it mean to have the first one under your belt? Does it make you feel different as a tennis player now that you've won one? MARIN CILIC: It doesn't make me any different. But just helps me, you know, not to have I would say any doubts in what I do and how I'm practicing and how am I improving and evolving. It brings me a little more self-belief, that I'm on the right way, and that I just have to keep on going like this. End of FastScripts |
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