AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 10, 2014

Marin Cilic

M. MATOSEVIC/M. Cilic
6‑4, 6‑4

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  What went wrong today?
MARIN CILIC:  Well, I think just maybe I felt I didn't adjust myself too good on grass yet, and I felt like ‑‑ in the movement I felt it the most, like, holes in the game.  I slipped also a couple of times, and then I was running a little bit too careful on some balls.
Yeah, I mean, from the game I felt that I wasn't on the right spot with some shots with the game to play it properly.
But Marinko played really well, I think very consistent from beginning till the end.  He wasn't giving me too many opportunities.  And, yeah, anything what I made on the return games I had to deserve really well, so that was I think really good from him.
But, yeah, for my own part I felt just with some shots, with some balls that I could make I was just not there.  The timing wasn't perfect.
So I think that was a bit disappointing, yeah.

Q.  You said you had trouble adjusting.  The last two years you have managed pretty good here.  What's the difference this time?
MARIN CILIC:  Just the amount of practice on grass courts.  I came this year a bit later than usual.  And, yeah, it was a bit more difficult for the movement, adjustment to have it at a good spot.
I think that was a little bit‑‑ looking at it now, all these last couple of days were ‑‑I practiced okay but was more without too much movement, and then I was a bit exposed on the court when it got to that point.

Q.  How do you think this will affect your preparations going into Wimbledon?
MARIN CILIC:  I mean, probably just matches‑wise it's going to hurt a little bit.  But, you know, overall, for me the training is more important.  I'm going to try to train a bit more and to be focused on that to get adjusted as quickly as possible.
Next week I'm going to have a couple of matches.  Exhibition, though.  But overall, I mean, I think I'm feeling okay.  Just these couple of things are not in place which are gonna be I think in few days.
So I'm not too concerned about being prepared for Wimbledon.

Q.  Obviously with Andy Murray winning last year, the nation is behind him again.  Do you think he can win again, or do you think Rafa will come back strong ?
MARIN CILIC:  For Wimbledon, you mean?
Yeah.  Well, it's going to be really open, I think.  I mean, everybody's pretty motivated.  You have many guys there who can win it.  It's going to be really interesting.
I think Andy until French Open was struggling a bit, was a little bit up and down with the form, had some good matches, had some also losses, and health‑wise he's probably good now.
Definitely, I mean, grass courts are one of his favorites.  It's going to be interesting to see what's going to happen.

Q.  Just a question I am asking all players:  Who was your Wimbledon hero when you were growing up?
MARIN CILIC:  That's pretty simple.  I mean, Goran.
So, yeah, I think was big memories from that time.

Q.  Special memories?
MARIN CILIC:  Yes.

Q.  Just away from tennis for a second, you're playing with a Brazilian in doubles here.  Come Thursday, what's that going to be like when Brazil plays Croatia?
MARIN CILIC:  Well, when we have a match on Thursday it's going to be three against one on the courts.
Yeah, we talked about it, and having fun about it.  Yeah, it's going to be interesting.  I think we're gonna try to watch it together in the same time, and, yeah, enjoy it.

Q.  You started the year in sparkling form, really.  How do you assess your form going into Wimbledon?  You went out in the third round of the French to Djokovic.  Disappointed defeat today.  How do you assess your form overall going into Wimbledon?
MARIN CILIC:  I would say good.  Not too great, not bad.
I mean, the season is not easy when you are ranked a little bit out of top 20, and the part with that is you have to be, you know, playing against top guys already from the beginning of the tournament.
Of course in the clay court season where it's not my best surface, in the first couple of weeks it hurt me, and then later I played even better.
But there in French Open I had good match with Djokovic, and some matches like that I lost which I could have, for example, win and then it's different, completely different story.
So I'm feeling good.  It's just part to break a couple of those matches and to win them, and then I think it would be completely different look at it.

Q.  You mentioned Goran.  How much of a difference does it make going into Wimbledon having a man of his experience in that tournament in your corner?
MARIN CILIC:  I think it's important in some, you know, really small details.  Of course preparation is most important, but I think in the preparation for the matches and these small details which he can give me advice for, to be aware of them, it's I think big help.
And even if one or two advices are going to help me to be aware much earlier than what I would do it on my own is very big help.  Definitely I think it's going to be good for me to have him at my box for Wimbledon.

Q.  What happened last year with the suspension ‑ we're now in June ‑ is that now a distant memory, is it a memory, or do you still think about it kind of once in a while, still have that anger or resentment towards them?
MARIN CILIC:  No, it's just a memory probably more distant.  I'm not thinking about it too much.  I'm playing now, I mean, on a good way.  This season has been good so far for me, and now, I mean, it's open road.
I don't have anything to defend until the end of the year, so it's going to be a good part for me to focus and to try to, you know, break into top 20 first, and then later it would be nice to come closer to top 10.

Q.  You mentioned the controversy last year with  your withdrawal from Wimbledon.  Do you feel you have something extra to prove this year?  More unfinished business with the tournament?
MARIN CILIC:  Well, yes and no.  I was disappointed a little bit last year to pull out from Wimbledon as I felt I played maybe the best ever.  I played over here really good and then played the beginning of the tournament there good, had a good match with Baghdatis, and then I felt sort of sorry that I couldn't continue.
Then, yeah, this year, I mean, of course I'm going to be motivated, but it's, you know, far, far for me.  Going to be focused for this moment now only.

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