Optimistic Cilic hopes to roll back the years

Marin Cilic’s standout win into the French Open quarter-finals has the Croat thinking about the shelf life of his career at age 33.

The winner over Daniil Medvedev in quick straight sets is casting his mind back to his 2014 US Open title and hoping to extend his time on court for perhaps another decade.

“I feel very well physically, my doctor tells me that I have a physical condition comparable to that of a 25-year-old and that I could compete for 12 more years,” he told the New York Times.

Cilic, ranked 23rd after achieving a career high of third on the ATP, said inspiration from his career highlight eight years ago remains strong.

“Every day I think about when I won in New York. It’s very difficult to go back to the past… But I’m definitely doing things very well, both on and off the court.

“I have enormous confidence in myself and that is very important.”