2015 will be a more open field: Marin Cilic

Marin Cilic produced a sizzling sequence of matches at the US Open earlier in the year to win his first Grand Slam title. The 26- year old Croat was in India as part of the Musafir.com UAE Royals team in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). He spoke to Gaurav Kalra.

What has the experience of playing the IPTL been like?

It has been really good. Everyone was expecting it to be casual and like an exhibition. But it has been really competitive and all the players are serious. Every game counts and there is a race to finish first in the league, that makes it exciting.

Do you think a competition like this can be a more regular feature considering how busy the circuit is?

I think it will become more regular. It is not a very taxing format and the organisation is very good. I think next year players will know how to use this time better.

How has life changed after becoming a Grand Slam champion?

It’s a bit busier! It requires dealing with different situations on and off the court. I need to be more specific with my training and be ready for every match. Guys who are playing against me are pushing harder to win, so it’s a different perspective. It’s a big plus for me of course, now that I have done it once, hopefully the next time it will be easier.

Have you ever looked back at the matches you played to win the US Open? Were you surprised about the incredible level you played at?

I watched most of those matches many times. It didn’t surprise me, I knew the level of tennis that I could play and it just needed to click at the right moment. I was lucky that it happened at the US Open. I just showed to myself and everyone out there the capability I have. Now, every day I am trying to recreate that.

2014 was a big year on the circuit with you and Stan Wawrinka winning Grand Slams. Do you think a new generation is ready to take over from the likes of Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal?

I am not sure about ‘taking over’ but this generation is definitely going to be part of this very competitive group at the top of the game. There’s a lot of guys like me, Wawrinka, Nishikori (Kei) and Dimitrov (Grigor) having big success and producing big results and I am sure 2015 will bring another new Grand Slam winner and that is going to be very exciting. It won’t be just 3-4 guys reaching the finals anymore. It will be a more open field.

What is the big ambition for 2015?

The first goal is to reach the top five, I am ranked eighth now. That is the position you want to be in.