Cilic believes it will be tough to beat Nadal in Paris (Picture: Getty)

Marin Cilic admitted he was surprised to see Rafael Nadal lose at the Madrid Open, but insists he’s an entirely different prospect at Roland Garros.

The Croat was forced to withdraw from the Masters 1000 event at the Caja Magica due to injury, but is back in action at the Italian Open this week.

And in his pre-tournament press conference in Rome, he reflected on Nadal’s 5-7 3-6 loss to Dominic Thiem in the Spanish capital.

Cilic said: ‘When you look at history that he had, you know, that many – or just couple sets that even went to, you know, to extension from 5-all that finished 7-5 or 7-6 in these last 12 months, when you look as that obviously it’s a surprise.


Thiem downed Nadal (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

‘But, on the other hand, I haven’t watched the match but I watched just the highlights and things like that. I felt that Dominic played extremely well. Those conditions suit him for his game. He’s got powerful game. And Madrid allows you to play a bit heavier, a bit faster.



‘So I think Dominic played great match and deserved definitely to win. As you know, he beat him, as well, here in Rome last year. So it’s not something as a big surprise that you would say.’

Though Cilic was impressed by the form of the Austrian, he explained why beating Nadal in Paris – where the 16-time Grand Slam champion is chasing an 11th title – is a completely different kettle of fish.

‘Rafa feels over there probably the best of all clay court conditions that there are,’ he added. ‘The balls are slightly different over there than what we play with on this clay season.

Will Nadal win the French Open? (Picture: NurPhoto via Getty)

‘I think, overall, you know, playing best of five sets against him, also, there on Philippe Chatrier Court, I think the court is really big. And that makes it maybe just vision-wise slightly different than somewhere else.

‘And I think Rafa’s mentality, in general, on Grand Slams is maybe one percent or slightly better than everywhere else. And I think that makes it just slightly more difficult to beat him there.

‘But, you know, still, we are all great players and we all believe in ourselves. You know, you never know, obviously.’

Only Novak Djokovic (2015) and Robin Soderling (2009) have beaten Nadal at the clay-court Grand Slam, it remains to be seen if someone can add their name to that list this time around.