"You train your whole life to achieve such a result," Cilic reflects on his 2014 US Open title

Marin Cilic was world No. 3 and has one Grand Slam title to his name: the 2014 US Open, during the era of the Big 3. The 37-year-old Croatian looked back on this moment, which remains one of the highlights of his career.

By Adrien Guyot

le 20/11/2025 à 11h27

Cilic

Cilic, now 75th in the world at 37 years old, is enjoying the final months of his career on the main tour. Having made a good comeback after several injuries, particularly to his knee, which kept him away from the courts in recent seasons, the former world No. 3 has won 21 titles in his career, playing in three Grand Slam finals, one of which ended in victory.

That was at the 2014 US Open, a tournament in which he beat Baghdatis (via retirement), Marchenko, Anderson, Simon, Berdych, Federer, and Nishikori in a one-sided final (6-3, 6-3, 6-3). Cilic recently looked back on his triumph at Flushing Meadows eleven years ago in an interview.

"It's still one of the most special moments of my life. On that occasion, I felt like everything came together, especially towards the end: physically, mentally, technically. I was in shape, I was playing my best tennis, and winning a Grand Slam trophy is something you never forget.

You train your whole life, you dedicate all your time to achieve such a result, and given the competition you face, you start to wonder if it will ever happen. When I look back on that experience, it makes me very proud and also motivates me, because I know what is possible when everything aligns.

The US Open has a special energy. It's an intense and emotional tournament. It takes place at the end of the season, when players are a bit tired, which sometimes allows new names to stand out with an excellent result. The atmosphere and playing conditions encourage free and aggressive play.

If you think about all the winners, they all played aggressive tennis. I think that's why we've seen several new champions: the tournament rewards courage," stated Cilic, who then reflected on his two lost Grand Slam finals, at Wimbledon in 2017 and then at the Australian Open in 2018 against Roger Federer.

"At Wimbledon, unfortunately, I had horrible blisters in the final, which limited my movement, and when you're not even at 100% physically, your chances are very slim. In Australia, I may have played the best tennis of my life and, in the fifth set, I had a chance to win the title. If I had played against someone who didn't have the same experience as Roger Federer in Grand Slam finals, I think I would have had a better chance of winning," he concluded for Flashscore.