(Reuters) – Marin Cilic joined an elite group of active men’s players to have reached the last four at all the Grand Slams as the world number 23 advanced to his first Roland Garros semi-final by beating Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev on Wednesday.
Cilic joined Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as the only active players to have made the semis at all the majors.
“Absolutely fantastic achievement for me, to be… just among them,” Cilic, whose last semi-final appearance at a major was at the 2018 Australian Open, told a news conference.
“I would say last few years, coming back from 2017, I started to feel great on clay and had some great success.
“But, you know, in the end it’s also such a short season for clay, it’s difficult to time everything every single season.”
The Croatian advanced to his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in 2010. Four years later, he claimed his first and only major title at the U.S. Open, and made it to the final at the Wimbledon in 2017.
The former world number three, however, has enjoyed the fact that in recent years he has been out of the media spotlight.
“I’m happy with less press conferences,” Cilic said smiling. “That was fantastic, I have to say, in these last two years. Every tournament, easy, no press… I’m kidding.
“No, (it) just comes down to the guys who are under the highlights. These guys have been… the top of the game (for) so many years. Looking at my own career, I had some obviously huge successes and won so many things.
“But also comparing to the top guys, it was not as consistent, you know. Had three, four seasons that were incredibly good… but I was a little bit in and out.
“I’m just trying to use my opportunities… every day, every match to give my best (so that) when I go out of the game I’m absolutely proud. If I do more conferences, it’s fine, yeah,” he added smiling.
Cilic will next face either teenage sensation Holger Rune of Denmark or Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
