Croatia’s Marin Cilic said that he’s happy to be competing once more on tour following the reduction of his suspension following a doping ban. Cilic competed at the Paris Masters this week.
The Croatian’s ban was reduced from nine to four months by CAS or the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He was able to dust off some rust on his game to defeat Igor Sijsling of Netherlands in the first round 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
“I felt like a kid playing for the first time,” Cilic said during the news conference.
“The feeling was amazing just to be back on the court, to be competing and I enjoyed every moment.”
“My thoughts were just on how much I am enjoying it and how I am happy to be back on the court.”
In September, Cilic was handed with a nine months suspension by the International Tennis Federation after he failed a drug test and was positive for nikethamide, a banned stimulant.
“It shows that nikethamide was in the system some time before and it’s completely inactive and doesn’t have any effect on the body,” he said.
“I’m definitely waiting for the CAS decision in writing and waiting what the ITF will say with all these things.”
