Do Roger Federer and Marin Cilic get on?
All the signs are that the pair do. Cilic posted the above picture on Instagram ahead of the final and said: “Cheers to the final rogerfederer ! #ausopen.”
Although the best clue the duo enjoy a close relationship came in November.
Cilic was on holiday in the Maldives at the same time as Federer. The Swiss didn’t bother him but he knew he was there.
Cilic then learnt Federer was in town and decided to send a text message to the 19-time Grand Slam champion asking him if he fancied a practise, which he duly did.
Federer revealed: “I was there first, I think, and he arrived later on the island. I was told that Marin was coming. I was like, Oh, that’s cool. It’s not that they warned me another tennis player is coming. It’s all good, we’re fine.
“When he arrived, I didn’t want to bother him. He didn’t want to bother me. After two days, he wrote me: I’m here, too, in case you want to catch up and stuff, let me know.
“I was like, Sure, let me know if you want to hit.
“He was eager to hit because it’s good to stay in the rhythm for both of us. We also met up later for drinks, met his fiancée. We had cake together, my whole family and him. We had a good time. It’s not like we’re hanging out all the time, but our paths crossed a few times. We actually went to practice twice for 45 minutes.
“It’s great fun. No coaches, no nothing, just the two of us on the court hitting balls. It was just nice and laid back. To get to know the man behind the tennis player, I guess, even though I got to know him better through the Laver Cup and so forth.”
What does Roger Federer like about Marin Cilic?
Federer spoke in the build-up to the match of how he was a huge fan of Cilic’s personality.
He said: “Even at the end of last year when I played him in the World Tour Finals in the round-robin, I think he lost all three matches maybe, but maybe should have won at least one of the first two and stuff.
” The way he came out against me was very much a winner’s attitude: At least I’m going to take maybe one match home against Roger. I ended up playing a tough three-setter against him. I didn’t feel I was facing a guy who had just lost two round-robin matches.
“So I like his attitude. He’s very professional. He’s always very much the same regardless of whether he wins or loses. I like that attitude. On the court, he’s a winner. You can see it on the way he behaves on the court.
“He’s there to win and not just to be there. Sometimes you see other players you feel like they’re happy to have made the quarters so far. I think he strives for more. I like those attitudes.”
Does Cilic want revenge on Federer?
Cilic broke down in tears at the Wimbledon final last year due to the immense pain of the blisters on his feet.
But he insists getting one over Federer isn’t on his mind ahead of the final.
The Croat said: “‘Im not looking at it as a revenge. I mean, it was on me that I couldn’t give my best in Wimbledon. And that happens.
“But for me it’s great to again be in the final, giving myself another opportunity to win a Grand Slam. I’m playing very good tennis, and definitely very excited for the rest of 2018.”