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US OPEN 2009: ‘Baby Goran’ comes of age with run at Flushing Meadows

Croatia’s Marin Cilic celebrates his straight sets victory over Britain’s Andy Murray at the US Open in New York on Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS

A little nudge in the right direction from his hero and Croatian countryman Goran Ivanisevic helped Marin Cilic to overcome a major hump on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old Cilic, yet another Croatian beanpole blessed with a thunderbolt serve, has long been on the verge of making his Grand Slam breakthrough.

But after tripping up in the last 16 four times, Cilic — who was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina — made it count on his fifth attempt by beating second seed Andy Murray.

“I’m feeling tremendously happy. Of course it’s biggest result for me so far. After reaching the last 16 four times, it was a little bit of relief after I won it. Now that I don’t have this [mental] blockade in my head, I can look forward,” he said.

Cilic began his journey towards Grand Slam success more than six years ago when Ivanisevic, fresh from his triumph at Wimbledon, needed a hitting partner.

A 14-year-old Cilic jumped at the chance of testing out his skills against the country’s best and has never looked back.

“In 2002-2003, Goran was staying in Zagreb and practising all the time with me when he was there. He connected me with his ex-coach, Bob Brett, who I am here with,” Cilic said.

“Goran was a great help, otherwise I wouldn’t be here today. He is the one who brought tennis on a high level in Croatia and everybody looked at him as a hero,” he said.

“For us younger ones, it was also big help money wise as there were many more sponsors coming into the tennis. So Goran helped me a lot,” he said.

Cilic, who reached a career-high ranking of 13 in May, plays Argentine sixth seed Juan Martin del Potro in the quarter-finals. When the two meet, fans may feel as if they are seeing double.

In their bare feet, both stand tall at 1.98m and both will turn 21 within five days of each other later this month.

However, there is one psychological advantage the Argentine will have over Cilic — this will be the fourth time he has contested a grand slam quarter-final and in June he came within a whisker of defeating Roger Federer in the French Open semis.

But Cilic remains undaunted.

“I played him in [the fourth round in] Australia and I think I have my chance,” he said. “If I take positive things from today ... I think I have the game that can hurt him.”
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