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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPSJune 16, 2012Marin CilicLONDON, ENGLAND M. CILIC/S. Querrey THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Must have been difficult out there with that wind blowing? MARIN CILIC: Very. Very difficult. Especially when you have, you know, in that third game having to save eight or nine break points, and then struggling a little bit with the rhythm and with the nerves. So it was, I think, mixture of everything just adjusting to wind. Then when I didn't start that well in that first set, you know, it was really tough to go away from it to find the best rhythm as Sam is, you know, always serving pretty well, high percentage. Then you can't really relax to go for a couple of shots to try your forehand or backhand. So it was a bit difficult with that, struggling, fighting actually with that throughout all the match. But, you know, managing in the end pretty good with it. Q. Have you played in windier conditions on your travels anywhere, on the seafront somewhere? MARIN CILIC: I can't remember. Played once in Australia. When I was playing exhibitions in Kooyong was also extremely windy. Today it was, I think, made it look tougher, because both of us were a bit nervous and then, you know, missing some easy balls which we shouldn't miss usually. But, you know, it's the way it is. You're always trying to do the best you can. Q. I guess all in all, with all the rain and now the wind and everything, it's been a very difficult week, so it must be very satisfying to reach the final. MARIN CILIC: Definitely. You know, I think I played really well those first two, three matches. Today, also having this one to come through, it is also pretty good thing. It gives me some confidence. Also having another day tomorrow to play another match, to play better is, you know, always nice. Playing a final, more motivation, more everything. Definitely great week for me and great preparation for Wimbledon. Q. The fact it's your first‑ever grass court final might come as a surprise to some people, given your game. Why have things never quite clicked on grass for you before? MARIN CILIC: I always played only one week before Wimbledon. We always play here, Queen's, and then we'd have a week off. So it was difficult for me finding right balance with running and moving on the court. That first week I was always a little bit struggling when I would need to have couple matches, but this year I came a little bit earlier, had enough time on grass, and I was hitting the ball well. Then that helped me those first couple matches that I am moving less, serving good and then trying to return good. So that helps me to get an advantage in the points. Today also I showed that I was returning really good. That gave me the edge in the match. Q. Champions here have often done very well at Wimbledon. How much of an advantage do you think you have over people who left earlier in the week who were beaten earlier or injured going into Wimbledon as somebody who has perhaps always not had a great run here? Do you think that this really is an advantage to staying around to the final? MARIN CILIC: Well, Goran was always losing here first or second round and then playing well in Wimbledon. That was his routine. He was almost even trying to lose first round to play there well. But it just helps that you build up your confidence. Having four or five matches just finding ‑‑because it's a little bit different game than on clay or hard court. You're trying to play behind the person and be coming to the net and trying to take the shot when you have it and just putting the person in different parts of the court where it's not really comfortable for them, bringing them in and having to play some slice. So it's just a mixture of everything. When you play four or five matches, it's just great advantage in front of everybody else. Q. I'm sure Bob wasn't very thrilled with Goran, but I'm sure he's happy with you having stayed around. MARIN CILIC: Yeah, definitely. (Smiling.) It's good thing to have. Q. What Goran never did was play 25, 26, 27 straight rallies which you were doing out there. Is the grass slow because of all the weather and everything? MARIN CILIC: It is a little bit slow, and maybe you saw that even with the second serve and you hit the kick, it bounces actually pretty well, and hit couple good ones. I think you have to have just the balance with everything. Of course when you're playing well and hitting the ball well, you're going to finish the rally earlier. But today it was a bit difficult. With the wind you can't look for the line. And trying to play a little bit safer, the score is not that comfortable, so just not trying to miss, I think. Q. Is Goran still having ‑‑he was kind of an occasional coach, wasn't he, last year to you? Is that still going on? MARIN CILIC: No, no. I'm mostly actually all the time with Bob, so that's about it. Q. Have you heard from him, by any chance? Has the word reached him anywhere in the world? Have you had any texts yet that he knows you're in the final? MARIN CILIC: Yeah, we were texting these last days. We played even before French Open a bit in Zagreb. He's always in touch and always around. Q. Did he send you a text this afternoon? MARIN CILIC: I don't know.  I didn't check yet, but probably. Q. At the moment David is one set up. Prior to just a couple of weeks ago in the Davis Cup, you lost every time you played him. But you won a five‑setter on red clay against him. That must fill you with confidence of what might come up tomorrow? MARIN CILIC: Yeah, it was a really big match playing in Argentina in front of his home crowd, and I think he lost only once in Argentina playing in Davis Cup, so it was a huge win for me. You know, just I think I found in that match a really good way to play him and found some spots in his game that I can use as my advantage. But grass is different than clay and the hard court, so definitely it's gonna help if I play a little bit better than today. Q. He's a tough character, isn't he? MARIN CILIC: Yeah, very tough, because most of the time been playing he's in control of the game, and with having a great return and great backhand/forehand, he doesn't give you much opening. So you have to be really smart in the game how to, you know, put the ball away from him and put him in tough positions for him that he can't really control it. Q. It won't be as hostile at Queen's Club tomorrow as I imagine it was in Argentina. How hostile was that? I imagine it has to be for the away team. MARIN CILIC: Well, the supporters were, I mean, extremely loud but they were pretty fair. As always, we didn't make too much trouble. We didn't want to. But in the end I think it was pretty fair. I think 15,000 people supporting him was huge. To come through that was big experience. Q. But he can also be pretty hostile, as well, can't he? MARIN CILIC: Definitely. Q. He has a few tricks up his sleeve to intimidate you, doesn't he? MARIN CILIC: Definitely. I know when I played him first time it was actually my first live rubber, Davis Cup in 2006, and he was ranked No. 4. I was, I don't know, 17. He was pretty intimidating, having those few tricks of his. Q. What did he do? MARIN CILIC: You know, warming up he just puts the ball a little harder and trying to, you know, show that he can accelerate and to push you a little bit to become more nervous. But, you know, now it's different. When you are at that age it's not easy. Q. What if it is Dimitrov? MARIN CILIC: Well, I've never played Grigor. I think he's having best season so far. I saw him playing in French Open pretty well, played Gasquet pretty well first two sets and then got cramps. But definitely a really talented guy, sort of plays a little bit like Federer, knows everything about game, moves well, and definitely gonna have good prospect in his career in the future. He came through some difficult matches here, some difficult opponents, you know. Difficult player, I think. Q. You both had very high expectations put on you at a young age, haven't you? MARIN CILIC: Yes. Yeah. Well, for me that was one of the things that I learned when I broke‑‑ in 2010, when I broke to top 10 was, you know, you start to think differently. When you reach top 10 you're always looking forward, always trying to put your goals a little bit higher and expectations are bigger. You are not always satisfied with your game, trying to do better than you can. So it can be, you know, difficult with a young player. But I think I learned that lesson pretty well and now managing it a little bit better. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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