Marin Cilic hit out at Wimbledon over two decisions following his fourth-round defeat to an inspired Flavio Cobolli.
Former US Open champion Cilic rolled back the years in the first week of Wimbledon, beating British number one Jack Draper on his way to the fourth round.
Cilic became the first player to take a set off Cobolli on Court Two but had no answer to the Italian’s powerful hitting and impressive movement.
The former Wimbledon finalist won a third-set tie-break as he threatened to mount a comeback after going 2-0 behind but Cobolli emerged triumphant from the next tie break to reach a quarter-final of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Cilic insisted world number 24 Cobolli played at a ‘great level’ in the match but fumed at Wimbledon’s decision to schedule the clash for an 11am start.
The 36-year-old said the early start – necessary in the first week of slams due to the number of matches – prevented him from practicing outside before the fourth-round meeting.
‘Honestly, Flavio played a great level,’ Cilic said in his press conference after exiting SW19. ‘The first two and a half sets, even three sets he played great level. Not many things that he did wrong.
‘He was doing lots of things very clean, served well, and then was definitely putting me in a lot of tough positions. Then, you know, just unfortunate with the tiebreaks, they’re always tough a bit of a lottery.
‘It’s disappointing to go out. I felt that there was possibly a good chance to come back in the fourth and to have some good energy in the fifth.’
Turning his attention to the scheduling, Cilic added: ‘I was even talking with the tournament about the scheduling. I don’t like to speak about the conditions.
‘You know, okay, I lost and everything. I have to accept it. Flavio played fantastically and obviously great for him, first time in the quarter-finals.
‘But, you know, I feel bitter because why is there a need to play at 11am when even the practice courts don’t open until 9:30am?
‘This morning I was warming up indoors. You wake up at 6am. It’s okay for the matches in the earlier rounds, okay but we have a last-16 [match].
‘It’s raining overnight, and the court was quite soft. I mean, I don’t know if you watched the match. It was really difficult to play on.
‘You just push the ball in the middle of the court, and the ball just stays super low. It was just a struggle.
‘Once you start the match you can’t really do anything. So, yeah, it is was it is.’
Cilic, who turned pro in 2005, also criticised Wimbledon’s decision to ditch line judges in favour of electronic line calling.
Most players have welcomed the introduction of ELC at all ATP events but there have been complaints about its accuracy at the All England Club.
Cilic says he experienced some ‘weird’ calls and has questioned if it was ‘necessary’ for Wimbledon to become the third Grand Slam to move to automated line calling.
‘Even in my match with [Jaume] Munar on Court 18 there was some weird [calls],’ he said. ‘Even today there was one weird.
‘I felt like I missed a serve by this much [gestures with his hands] and it was called in. Some was out.
‘I don’t think there is a necessity. I don’t know if it’s easier, you know, for the tournament. Okay, you just put the electronic line calling. I have no idea.
‘For years the line judges were doing great. Maybe there is a mistake. And you know, that’s okay. You have still a challenge which you can use.
Wimbledon explain move to eletronic line calling
‘The decision to introduce Live Electronic Line Calling at The Championships was made following a significant period of consideration and consultation,’ Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said.
‘Having reviewed the results of the testing undertaken at The Championships this year, we consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating.
‘For the players, it will offer them the same conditions they have played under at a number of other events on tour.
‘We take our responsibility to balance tradition and innovation at Wimbledon very seriously.
‘Line umpires have played a central role in our officiating set-up at The Championships for many decades and we recognise their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.’
‘But, you know, I see no reason just to have no line judges because also for them, if you look at years in the past, all the chair umpires that are now, they were at one moment line judges finals of Wimbledon, finals of US Open, you know, big tournaments.
‘Then, okay, they have this experience. They come to the chair. What happens now?
‘If all the tour does electronic line calling, how do you get to become a chair umpire? Where is your experience?
‘On the other side, I felt like I missed by this much. Okay, the ball is in. Did I see wrong or what? I mean, I have no idea.
‘Then on the other side he sort of hit some balls quite long, and then hawk-eye says it’s good. Then the chair umpire can’t do anything because it’s only electronic line calling.’
Despite feeling ‘bitter’ over his Wimbledon exit, Cilic insisted he could take plenty of positives from his encouraging week at the All England Club.
‘Absolutely, I have great, you know, encouragement, happiness, positive attitude, and positive outcomes out of the tournament,’ he said.
‘In a while I haven’t played some Grand Slams on this kind of level. So I found great form, played some fantastic tennis. Even today was quite close.
‘It is a little bit bitter knowing that, okay, if this, if that, maybe could have been different, but it is what it is. We go forward.’
Cobolli’s reward for knocking out Cilic is a Wimbledon quarter-final against seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, who recovered from losing the first set 6-1 to beat Alex de Minaur in four.
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