In the not too distant past, a right arm injury that forced US Open champion Marin Cilic to miss a Masters tournament would have caused the Croatian a great deal of stress.
Not anymore.
After being ordered to serve a four-month doping ban in 2013 for mistakenly ingesting a banned stimulant that had been present in some glucose powder he had taken, being out of action the week before he makes his ATP World Tour Finals debut is no longer a big deal.
Being punished by doping authorities even though they acknowledged the 26-year-old had “inadvertently ingested nikethamide and did not intend to enhance his performance in doing so”, has taught Cilic to appreciate every moment he gets on court.
So as the Croatian took a break from the tour to heal what he called “a small problem with the bone” which is causing him “pain while serving”, he sat down with Reuters to talk about his incredible season, his enforced time out in 2013 and how his coach Goran Ivanisevic has injected the fun times back into his tennis.
Reuters: If someone had told you last September that this time next year you’d be a grand slam champion and ranked in the top eight, what would your reaction have been?
Cilic: “I would think it would be an amazing achievement to look at and I would for sure be surprised. But that would not be so unexpected because during last year I felt I was playing really well and of course you need many things to click to win a grand slam but of course it would be amazing to see this season went this well.”
Q: What does it mean for you to be one of the top eight qualifiers for the ATP World Tour Finals this year?
A: “It means a lot especially looking into the situation – because I had not been playing so well in the last three, four seasons. I played great in 2010 and then my form dropped a little bit and since then trying to recover a little bit with the tennis and to find my good form to come back into Top 10.
“This season I played really, really well and my tennis level rose a couple steps and that was what gave me more satisfaction – obviously winning a grand slam is the biggest satisfaction that I have and the biggest result.
“But to compete at the World Tour Finals means that I have been playing well and consistently during the whole season and that I deserve my spot to be there and it’s a great motivation for next year to compete at ATP World Tour finals. It’s the best reward.”
Q: Being a grand slam champion, is it better than you expected it to be?
A: “I didn’t expect the impact in Croatia to be so big because it had a really, really huge impact, it’s one of the biggest sports successes in Croatian history.”
Q: Did you see the 2001 Wimbledon final when your coach Goran Ivanisevic became the first Croatian to win a men’s grand slam title?
A: “I saw Goran’s final while I was in a tennis summer camp close to my home town.”
Q: When you saw Goran winning Wimbledon, did you have aspirations to follow in his footsteps at the time?
A: “Not really, not even close, but to repeat something Goran did you need that kind of scenario, that kind of charisma and that kind of personality from Goran – that’s going to happen only once in history.
“But what I experienced after winning the US Open ... it’s extremely nice to have that kind of reception in my hometown.
“I felt Croatian people who are not so close to tennis, it changed their life a little bit, they were connected with this huge success that came into their lives, in their daily routine and it made them happy and made them proud to be Croatian.”
Q: What is Goran like as a coach?
A: “Very natural, very similar as when he was playing, expresses his opinion in any way. Whatever his feeling is, he is going to say it. That’s how Goran is.
“He’s very easy going, he’s not as stressed as when he was playing, he always tries to find right things for me and we still have a really good time but we are also working on the things that we need to improve. I feel there is a really good balance that I have in my team.”
Q: Goran famously watched the Teletubbies during his run to the Wimbledon title – did you have any such bizarre routines during your run in New York?
A: “Ha ha ha I think Teletubbies just happened for him, he did not pick to watch them. Those kind of routines made it more interesting and more fun for everybody in the team.
“My physio, my fitness coach and Goran, they would go every morning to the same place to have the same coffee, same breakfast, same muffin. On the off days we would go to the same restaurant, tried to pick the same practice court, transportations at the same time. It goes on and on.”
Q: Are you superstitious like he was?
A: (smiling) “Me and Goran did not shave since the beginning of the tournament and after the quarters it became a little bit itchy so I said I might shave and he goes ‘you’re near the end of the tournament you can survive another three days you might just leave that for after the tournament’.
“It was nothing we are obsessed about, but it was something we had fun with. When the routine starts, you don’t want to stop.”
Q: The time out of sport you had last year, what did it teach you?
A: “I felt I matured more as a person, I understood what I really wanted and what are my goals and what I need to do to achieve them.
“Luckily I had this group around myself, the team who helped me to make those things possible, with my fitness trainer and Goran we work as a team to do the right things, what to improve on and what is going to be right or bad for me.
“Then once I started to believe that those are the right things, how much I want to put work into it ... to become the best I can be. That transformed me as a person, made me mentally tougher as a person and I didn’t want to be held back from achieving the best I can.”
Q: Do you feel you were robbed from playing on the tour for the four months?
A: “Not really. Obviously it was very difficult. I don’t know what would have happened if I had continued to play, you are never going to catch up those four months I lost. In that time I learnt some valuable things for myself, I’m using the time I have the best I could.”
Q: Has it changed you as a person?
A: “I think so. I found out who are my close friends, and those who pretend to be my friends. It made me more aware of what kind of people I have around me.
“It made be a little bit stronger inside of me that I don’t get pulled back by some difficult times or some difficult days.”
Q: Did that time out teach you anything about your fellow professionals?
A: “I was very surprised with Novak (Djokovic). He stepped up for me ... I think rarely you’ll see someone at the top of any sport expose themselves like he did. I’ll be very grateful to him for the rest of my life for the things he said (publicly) and way he supported me.”
Q: Are there things you do differently now, if yes how?
A: “Even in the locker rooms I always carry my bottle around and if I don’t see it I always take a new one.
“(Things like) massage creams, sun creams, I always check if it’s alright. I’ve become more careful with everything, if you burn yourself, that’s what happens.”
Q: How has life changed for you since winning the US Open?
A: “More busy, less time for everything but in one way very nice. In Croatia people recognise me much more, they want photos and autographs.
“I have a different feeling from my own side as I want to play all the time at my best level, I know it’s not possible but that’s my desire. You want to show this was not a one-time shot.
“I was dreaming about winning a grand slam and all my life work, career work (paid off as) I got the biggest reward in my life.”
Q: Where do you keep the trophy?
A: “At home in Zagreb, on display. I have to see it every day.”
Q: Do you polish it yourself?
A: “Ha ha ha, yes, I have to, that’s my friend now.”
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
The National photo project
Chris Whiteoak, a photographer at The National, spent months taking some of Jacqui Allan's props around the UAE, positioning them perfectly in front of some of the country's most recognisable landmarks. He placed a pirate on Kite Beach, in front of the Burj Al Arab, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland at the Burj Khalifa, and brought one of Allan's snails (Freddie, which represents her grandfather) to the Dubai Frame. In Abu Dhabi, a dinosaur went to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet. And a flamingo was taken all the way to the Hatta Mountains. This special project suitably brings to life the quirky nature of Allan's prop shop (and Allan herself!).
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Fight Night
FIGHT NIGHT
Four title fights:
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
