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- To normalne, że jestem rozczarowany, ale czuję też zadowolenie z powodu tego, co zrobiłem. O losach tak długiego meczu decydują szczegóły - mówił Marin Cilić po finale Australian Open 2018
Dla Marina Cilicia był to trzeci w karierze wielkoszlemowy finał. W 2014 roku zwyciężył w US Open, ogrywając Keia Nishikoriego. W Wimbledonie 2017 uległ Rogerowi Federerowi. W niedzielnym meczu o tytuł w Australian Open 2018 znów stanął naprzeciw Federera i ponownie przegrał - tym razem 3:6, 7:6(5), 3:6, 6:3, 1:6.
- To normalne, że jestem rozczarowany, ale czuję też zadowolenie z powodu tego, co zrobiłem - mówił Cilić na konferencji prasowej. - To była pięciosetowa bitwa, trudny mecz pod względem mentalnym. Zanotowałem zły start, przegrałem pierwsze cztery gemy i musiałem odrabiać straty. W drugiej partii rozegrałem świetny tie break. W czwartym secie przegrywałem, ale udało mi się odwrócić losy. Gem, w którym go przełamałem, był dla mnie impulsem. To mnie poniosło. Zacząłem grać fenomenalnie i znakomicie uderzać piłkę.

REKLAMA

Chorwat ocenił, że kluczowy dla losów meczu był sam początek piątego seta. - W pierwszym gemie miałem cztery piłki na przełamanie, ale żadnej nie wykorzystałem. Wywierałem na nim presję, lecz nie trafiłem żadnego ze swoich uderzeń. Ale nic bym nie zmieniał. Musiałem grać szybko i agresywnie. Potem przytrafił mi się słabszy gem serwisowy i mecz mi uciekł.

- Wygrałem czwartego seta, wracając ze stanu 1:3 - kontynuował. - Wtedy przejąłem inicjatywę. Miałem właściwy rytm i dobrze returnowałem. Fizycznie czułem się dobrze. W tym fragmencie meczu najważniejsze było to, abym kontynuował grę na takim samym poziomie, jak w czwartej partii. O losach tak długiego meczu decydują szczegóły.

Dla Cilicia to dziewiąta porażka w dziesiątym pojedynku z Federerem. - Zdawałem sobie sprawę, że aby wygrać, będę musiał rozegrać naprawdę wielki mecz. Gra z Rogerem to wielkie wyzwanie, bo on zawsze utrzymuje najwyższy poziom. Roger bardzo dobrze serwował i urozmaicał grę, ale tego mogłem się spodziewać, bo jest wszechstronnym tenisistą. Wiedziałem również, że jest świetnie przygotowany fizycznie.

Mecz był rozgrywany przy zasuniętym dachu na korcie Rod Laver Arena. - Nie miałem nic przeciwko tej decyzji, choć to była całkiem inna gra niż na normalnym powietrzu. Warunki bardzo się różniły, ale były przyjemniejsze. Graliśmy w temperaturze 23 stopni Celsjusza, podczas gdy na zewnątrz było 38 - wyjaśniał.

REKLAMA

Po Australian Open Cilić awansuje na trzecie miejsce w rankingu, najwyższe w karierze. - Trzecie miejsce robi wrażenie, ale moim celem jest pierwsza pozycja. Po to ciężko pracuję. Ten turniej dał mi wiele pewności siebie. Dotarcie do finału było niesamowite. Po świetnym meczu pokonałem tutaj Rafę i rozegrałem wyrównany pojedynek z Rogerem.

The Croatian moves up to No. 3 in the ATP Rankings after Melbourne

Marin Cilic was close, just not close enough.

Playing with great focus and pin-point accuracy on his world class groundstrokes, the 29 year old Croatian battled back from a break down in the fourth set and found himself with break points of his own to start the decisive set in the Australian Open final, which would see Roger Federer emerge victorious after three tense hours.

One return into the net. One wide.

And that was it.

Federer would run away with the fifth set, claiming his record-equaling sixth Australian Open crown (alongside Roy Emerson, Novak Djokovic) and an unprecedented 20th Grand Slam title in the Swiss’ storied career. Cilic had come so close to achieving a second Grand Slam success following his triumph at the US Open in 2014, yet came up short once more.

Nevertheless, Cilic remained optimistic about his showing in the final, becoming the only player over the fortnight to take a set – two, in fact – off of the defending champion, who had hitherto maneuvered his way through the draw with relative ease.

“I was hitting the ball great. I was just playing phenomenal,” said the Croatian. “Then first game of the fifth set was more or less crucial at the end with having those... break points that I didn't convert. [It was] just a little bit tougher game, my [next] service game... [It] just ran away from me.

“But looking overall, I'm really pleased with the performance,” he added, assessing his efforts, which included 45 winners and 16 aces. “ played great tennis over these two weeks. I had tough matches, tough opponents, beating Rafa [Nadal], reaching [the] final, which is definitely amazing. Looking at my own game, I think I improved a lot. I'm playing great tennis. That's really exciting for me for this 2018.”

Cilic will rise to No. 3 in the ATP Rankings next week, eclipsing his career-best of No. 4 achieved in the fall of last year. Citing multiple improvements in his game, the 29-year-old has his eyes on the top prizes – and the top ranking – in the coming season.

“My ultimate goal is to reach No. 1,” said Cilic. “That's what I'm working for. Even in these last one or two years, the progress that I did is big. Last year, I improved a lot in different areas. Now in these last couple months, I improved even more. So that gives me big confidence."

As the ATP World Tour picks up pace again in February, Cilic is slated to play a series of clay court events in South America before he tries for his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown (Cincinnati 2016) at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open presented by Itau. With “World No. 3” as his titular heading into the next swing of the 2018 season, Cilic is taking nothing for granted.

“No. 3 feels and looks amazing, especially behind [Federer and Nadal] as well. But I know how difficult it is, knowing as well Novak and Andy [Murray] and many other guys had a tough last season. For me it's a great time that I improved and that I am continuing to improve. Big times ahead for me.”

In Marin Cilic’s own words, it could have been the best two weeks of his life.

From the heady heights of his maiden Grand Slam trophy in 2014 to the vacuum of helpless despair in his second major final last season, his third attempt at the title match very nearly trumped both.

Had one of two break point chances gone his way in the opening game of the deciding set, the Croat could well have ridden his momentum to cap a dream fortnight.

He would have become just the third man after Juan Martin del Potro and Novak Djokovic to defeat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in a Grand Slam tournament.

Such small margins in a fifth set, such rare company at stake.

“Yeah, well, feeling a little bit obviously disappointed, which is normal,” Cilic said. “It was a big battle, five sets. I managed to turn it around.

“I was hitting the ball great. I was just playing phenomenal. Then first game of the fifth set was more or less crucial at the end.”

For his efforts Down Under this past fortnight, the 29-year-old reaches a career-high mark of world No.3.

Only Federer and Nadal are above him.

“My ultimate goal is to reach No.1. That's my goal,” Cilic said. “That's what I'm working for.

“No.3 feels and looks amazing, especially behind them as well. But I know how difficult it is, knowing as well Novak [Djokovic] and Andy [Murray] and many other guys had a tough last season. For me it's a great time that I improved and that I am continuing to improve. Big time ahead for me.”

Ahead of the final, Cilic’s former coach and countryman Goran Ivanisevic said he would have to produce the same brand of lights-out tennis he deployed when he romped past Federer en route to his 2014 US Open title.

There were patches of that same attacking brilliance, his heavy groundstrokes and swirling serves skidding through the court, and those deft closes at net making Federer feeling the weight of history bearing down.

This was a different Roger Federer to 2014, however.

Six months after being overwhelmed by the occasion and a blistered foot in a lop-sided Wimbledon final, Cilic was meeting the Swiss in another Grand Slam decider.

And as he shanked and stuttered his way to 0-4, it again appeared nerves were getting the better of him.

Where he was swimming in his own panic in a second set whitewash in that Wimbledon final, Cilic flicked a switch to steal the second set of their Australian Open final in a tiebreak.

This one would not be the walk in the park Federer enjoyed at SW19 last year.

“We know he has the level,” Cilic said. “With his game style, it's very all-round.
“In those moments, obviously physical abilities come into play with his age, but also mentally he's able to challenge himself and continue with his progress.”

Such is the good nature between the pair, when it was realised both were holidaying in the Maldives in their off-season, Cilic sent Federer a text message asking if he wanted to catch up – no formalities, no coaches, agents or tournament media opportunities, just a hit between the men now ranked second and third in the world.

It was a chance for them to hang out together, with Cilic’s fiancée and Federer’s family.

“It was just nice and laid back,” Federer said. “To get to know the man behind the tennis player, I guess.”

No.3 in the world does look amazing and with a Grand Slam trophy to his name, Cilic is already in elite company.

Gracious in defeat, the man behind the tennis player has ample cause to hold his head high as he departs Melbourne Park.

Po przegranym finale Australian Open Marin Cilić wsiadł w samolot i wyruszył w podróż do ojczyzny. Chorwat nie chce rozmyślać o przegranym finale. Znalazł już nowe cele na najbliższe miesiące 2018 roku.

W niedzielę Marin Cilić mógł zdobyć drugi tytuł wielkoszlemowy i zostać pierwszym w historii chorwackim mistrzem Australian Open w singlu. Mimo znakomitej postawy w pojedynku z Rogerem Federerem uległ jednak Szwajcarowi 2:6, 7:6(5), 3:6, 6:3, 1:6.


Marin Cilić: O losach tak długiego meczu decydują szczegóły
Kilka godzin po porażce Cilić, który w poniedziałek awansował na trzecie miejsce w rankingu ATP (najwyższe w karierze), wsiadł w samolot i udał się w długą podróż do ojczyzny. - Trzecie miejsce w rankingu ATP brzmi bardzo ładnie - powiedział tuż po wylądowaniu.
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Chorwat szybko znalazł nowe motywacje. - Chcę awansować na pierwsze miejsce w rankingu i do końca sezonu zdobyć wielkoszlemowy tytuł - zapowiedział, dodając: - Nie wywieram na siebie presji, ale ciężko pracuję i uważam, że w ciągu kilku ostatnich miesięcy wykonałem duży postęp.

Wizyta mieszkającego w Monte Carlo Cilicia w ojczyźnie nie jest przypadkowa. W weekend wystąpi w barwach reprezentacji swojego kraju w meczu I rundy Grupy Światowej Pucharu Davisa przeciw Kanadzie.

- Zawsze, kiedy mogę grać dla swojego kraju, jestem zaszczycony. Mamy młody i bardzo dobry zespół i w tym roku możemy pokusić się o dobry wynik. Postaram się jak najszybciej wróci do pełnej sprawności i wystąpić w tym meczu. Kanada jest świetnym zespołem, ale musimy ją pokonać - ocenił Cilić.

Marin Cilić nigdy w karierze w turnieju w Indian Wells nie dotarł dalej niż do ćwierćfinału. W tegorocznej edycji Chorwat wystąpi rozstawiony z numerem drugim i jest jednym z kandydatów do triumfu, ale - jak przyznał - nie czuje się komfortowo.

Marin Cilić znakomicie zainaugurował sezon 2018. Dotarł do finału wielkoszlemowego Australian Open i dzięki temu wspiął się na trzecią pozycję w rankingu. - Wystąpiłem w finałach dwóch z trzech ostatnich turniejów wielkoszlemowych (Wimbledon 2017 i Australian Open 2018 - przyp. red.), i jest to dla mnie właściwy kierunek. Bardzo mocno się rozwinąłem, lecz chcę więcej. Cieszę się, że jestem trzecim tenisistą świata, ale nadal chcę poprawiać swoją grę i osiągnąć możliwie jak najwyższy poziom - mówił Chorwat na konferencji prasowej przed startem turnieju w Indian Wells.
Po Australian Open Cilić wystąpił tylko w jednym turnieju. Zagrał w Rio de Janeiro, gdzie odpadł w II rundzie. - Aby grać dobrze, musisz być świeży fizycznie i psychicznie - wyjaśniał. - Musisz być także głodny gry. Rywalizacja tydzień po tygodniu jest trudna dla ciała i umysłu. Niełatwo jest każdego dnia radzić sobie z presją, więc znalezienie równowagi jest kluczowe.


W Indian Wells Chorwat wystąpi z drugim numerem przy nazwisku. Po raz pierwszy w turnieju rangi ATP World Tour Masters 1000 jest tak wysoko rozstawiony. - Tak wysoka pozycja dodaje mi motywacji, ale muszę pamiętać, co mnie do niej doprowadziło. Dlatego skupiam się na rzeczach, które muszę robić, i jestem pewien, że razem z tym będą przychodzić dobre wyniki - stwierdził.

BNP Paribas Open nie jest ulubionym turniejem Cilicia. W dziesięciu startach tylko raz, w 2016 roku, dotarł do ćwierćfinału. - W przeszłości nie radziłem sobie w Indian Wells, a także w Miami - przyznał. - Muszę rozgryźć, dlaczego tak się dzieje. Warunki tu różnią się każdego dnia. Temperatura raz jest wysoka, a raz niska. Choćby w ubiegłym tygodniu wieczory były bardzo chłodne. Tutaj nigdy nie czuję się komfortowo tak, jakbym chciał.

Zmagania w Indian Wells Cilić rozpocznie w niedzielę. Na inaugurację zmierzy się z lepszym z pary Viktor Troicki - Marton Fucsovics.

After a strong start to the year, Marin Cilic is looking to improve and potentially break into the Top 2 of the ATP Rankings. Having arrived in the Coachella Valley last week to prepare for the BNP Paribas Open, the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, the Croatian feels that he is ready to make a big run.
“In order to play well, you need to be fresh mentally and strong physically,” said Cilic. “You also need to be hungry when you come to play. It's difficult on the body and on the mind when you play week after week. It's not easy to push yourself every day, so balance is key.
“Playing two out of past three Grand Slam finals (2017 Wimbledon, 2018 Australian Open) guides me in the right direction. I've been improving a lot, but I want more. I'm happy to be No. 3 [in the ATP Rankings], but I want to keep improving and reach as high as possible.”
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After making an appearance in his third Grand Slam championship final in January, Cilic opted to skip the European indoor swing in favour of a trip to the clay of the Rio Open presented by Claro (l. to Monfils in second round).
Watch Video: Cilic & ATP World Tour Stars Take On Rio Carnival
“Generally, I haven't done too well during this US swing at Indian Wells and Miami,” said Cilic. “I feel I played really well on clay last year and that set me up for solid play on grass. I decided to do something different this year, play outdoors. So hopefully this decision pays off.”
Cilic has notoriously struggled in the dry, thinner air of Indian Wells and in 10 previous attempts (9-10 match record) he has only advanced to one quarter-final, in 2016 (l. to Goffin).
“It's something that I'm trying to figure out myself,” said Cilic, the second seed in Indian Wells. “The conditions vary here, day by day. Even last week, it was very cold during the evenings. The temperature is up and down and I'm never as comfortable as I'd like.

“But I need to remember what got me to this position. It gives me motivation to keep pushing forward. I'm focused on the things I need to do and I'm sure the results will follow.”
Cilic will open his Indian Wells campaign against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki or Marton Fucsovics of Hungary.

Croatian No.2 seed aims to pass quarter-finals in Miami for the first time

Only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stand above him in the ATP Rankings, but for Marin Cilic, being the World No. 3 is not enough. With 17 ATP World Tour titles, including the 2014 US Open, the Croatian makes no secret of what he wants this season.

He starts his 10th Miami Open presented by Itau campaign as the No. 2 seed and will face either #NextGenATP American Taylor Fritz or Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert after a first-round bye. In the tournament’s last year at its Key Biscayne site, Cilic would love nothing more than a deep run on the hard courts where big points are on offer after losing his opening match here last year (l. to Chardy).

“The conditions here are always very difficult, maybe one of the most difficult conditions we have on tour,” said Cilic, whose lone quarter-final in Miami came in 2013 (l. to Murray), when he defeated John Isner and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga en route.

“You can get the heat, the humidity, those cooler nights so you have to be ready for everything. It’s also the end of the hard-court season that we are approaching so that’s also a part of my motivation to do quite well.”

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Cilic appeared in his eighth season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in November and finished the season at No. 6 in the ATP Rankings. After failing to win a match at the group stage, he returned to Australia inspired and he delivered.

“I started great this season, opened it the best ever with the final at the Australian Open,” he said of his five-set defeat to defending champion Federer in the decider. “That perspective just gives my mind a good and stable strategy for moving forward in 2018. I didn’t finish 2017 the way I wanted.

“Obviously I finished at No. 6, which is still amazing, second year in a row. But still I want to push myself to be improving and getting better and obviously that means getting higher in the rankings. Hopefully this season can give me a lot of great results and hopefully another Grand Slam title as well.”

Two Grand Slam finals in six months gave the 29-year-old the cause to believe bigger things were still to come in 2018. “I don’t put myself under pressure every time. I’m trying to improve as much as I can,” he said.

“Things need to click as well to win a Grand Slam… But it’s nothing urgent. I’m definitely enjoying where I am at the moment and hopefully with my improvements and good results that’s going to happen.”

World No. 3 visits Frost Museum at Florida International University
With a little time to explore the city before his second-round opener at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Marin Cilic paid a visit to the Frost Museum of Science. The tournament's second seed didn't leave disappointed.

"It was fantastic to come to the Frost Museum at Florida International University," Cilic said. "I enjoyed seeing the aquarium; to see the different species, the crocodiles; it was a lot of fun. I wasn't expecting to see something like this and it was a fun field trip to take in downtown Miami."

Cilic will play Pierre-Hugues Herbert for a spot in the third round. The Frenchman defeated American Taylor Fritz, 7-6(4), 6-4 to advance to the second round.