"I don't think it's a surprise," Cilic reflects on his victory over Draper at Wimbledon

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Clément Gehl

le 04/07/2025 à 06h29

2 min to read

Cilic Wimbledon

Marin Cilic caused an upset this Thursday at Wimbledon by eliminating fourth seed Jack Draper in the second round.

However, the 2017 finalist doesn’t consider this win a surprise.

In a press conference, as reported by *Punto de Break*, he stated: "It’s a fantastic result, great news for me to beat such a high-caliber opponent at a Grand Slam, where I haven’t had many positive results in recent years.

I feel like I played excellent tennis and took advantage of the good weeks of training and my title in Nottingham, which gave me a lot of confidence.

I believe in my potential because I feel my best tennis is still there. Experience helps me accept all kinds of situations and adapt, but I think I can still improve and keep going in the tournament.

I don’t think it’s a surprise that I won this match because I’ve been feeling very good for weeks.

I know I can reach a very high level, and facing great opponents allows me to bring out the best in myself. I want to keep improving—I feel there’s still room for growth.

This is an important day for me, considering what I’ve been through these last two or three years. In February 2023, my knee was in terrible shape, I spent a lot of time in rehab, underwent another surgery…

At that time, I felt the need to give myself another chance, to keep the necessary energy. Fortunately, I’ve been playing pain-free for eight or nine months, which has given me some peace of mind.

I was diagnosed with a meniscus and cartilage issue. I had surgery, and they couldn’t find anything to fix.

I decided to educate myself, so I did a lot of research on the topic, read scientific articles, consulted many doctors, until I decided to go to the U.S. to find a specialist who could help me.

I saw four or five doctors before finding someone who could help, and here I am."

Cilic will face Jaume Munar this Saturday for a spot in the round of 16.