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OPEN COURT

Elite Eight to Fab Four; New View from the Top for Marin Cilic; At the Very Top of the ATP; Backstage at the ATP World Tour Finals

Aired November 20, 2014 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(MUSIC PLAYING)

PAT CASH, CNN HOST (voice-over): Novak, Stanislas, Kei, Andy, Tomas, Milos, Roger and Marin, the key pieces of what's become a year-long puzzle

are now in place, the best tennis players in the world are in London for the season's grand finale.

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CASH (voice-over): Welcome to OPEN COURT. We're at the top of the OXO Tower, one of London's favorite viewpoints. You can see St. Paul's

Cathedral from here and watch as the Thames winds its way towards the O2 Arena. That's where the best players in the world are trying to claim

their place at the top of the ATP World Tour Finals. And it's where OPEN COURT is heading this month, too.

With bragging rights at stake, a pile of cash and the number one ranking on offer, this is where every tennis player wants to end their season. But

there's only room for eight. And after a series of lopsided matches, the Elite Eight quickly became the Fab Four.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori, they were the last players

standing at this year's ATP World Tour Finals. It's been a year of firsts for the Japanese superstar.

KEI NISHIKORI, WORLD TOUR FINALIST (voice-over): I had a great year so far. I had a final in U.S. Open and I won four titles this year.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): The 24-year old is the first Asian born man to advance to a Grand Slam singles final and qualify for the season-ending

championship. Experts have always been impressed by his quickness but wondered if he was strong enough to reach the top.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): I thought (INAUDIBLE) asked me, I said top 20. Then I said top 10 and now look at him. It's just -- you can just see

he is really an achiever. He's somebody who pushes himself. He maximizes his abilities.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): During the past year, tennis legend Michael Chang joined the young star's coaching team.

MICHAEL CHANG, NISHIKORI COACH (voice-over): Me, I'm thinking how many Asian players, male players have there been that have gotten to the top 10?

He's not the biggest guy and he does play very similar to the way I play.

NISHIKORI (voice-over): We've been working only one year and it's been amazing.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): Kei knows there's little time to rest if he wants to make history and become a Grand Slam champion.

World number 4 Stan Wawrinka gives players like Nishikori hope. He broke the big four stranglehold on the slam and won the Australian Open. No one

was more surprised by the outcome than Stan.

STAN WAWRINKA, TENNIS PRO (voice-over): I never expected to be in that position, watch (INAUDIBLE) the trophy, so, yes, that was something that --

something crazy, what's happening to me right now.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): Wawrinka returns to the season ender for the second year along with Swiss country man Roger Federer.

WAWRINKA (voice-over): If look at my career, for sure, it's something amazing what I did for me. When I was young, really young, I wasn't the

best of my age in Switzerland, but I was always a hard worker.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): Wawrinka's signature one-handed backhand and gullet serve make him a contender on any surface. Long under the radar,

the silent Swiss has clearly found his voice and will travel to Australia with a Grand Slam title to defend.

After a frustrating 2013, Roger Federer returns to the top tier of the game this year. He came within a couple of matches of regaining the number one

ranking after barely qualifying for the season ender a year ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): I've got to say, I never thought Roger was out of it and I wrote this, too, but I did not think he would be competing

for number one again.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): This year Federer followed the lead of several other top players and added six-time Grand Slam champion Stefan Edberg to

his coaching team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): He's a guy he really respects for the way he conducted himself, much like Chang and Nishikori. That's a real nice

matchup.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): He approaches the net more often, much like Edberg did during his prime and many hope he'll go one step further than

this year's Wimbledon finals finish.

The one man Federer will likely have to overcome is Novak Djokovic. The Serbian star will close out the season with his number one ranking. It's

been a year of firsts for Djokovic. He got married in July and became a father to baby Stefan in October.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, WORLD NUMBER 1 (voice-over): Right now, my stars in the morning have changed enough anymore directed too much to tennis but to how

my son feels. But nevertheless, I am very motivated and just try to play my best tennis.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): Along with Nishikori and Federer, Djokovic also turned to a former great for help. His decisions to hire Boris Becker

surprised many.

BORIS BECKER, TENNIS PRO: I like to think that I'm very comfortable within the tennis community and know a thing or two about the sport. So a little

bit surprised by some of the doubts. This part -- this is part of sometimes being Boris Becker.

MACFARLANE (voice-over): By mid-season, the partnership gathered momentum when Djokovic won his second Wimbledon crown, a moment he shared with the

man who knows all about (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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CASH (voice-over): One of the players debuting at this year's tournament is Marin Cilic and what a difference a year can make. Last year he was

banned from the circuit for a positive drugs test and this year, he was the toast of New York City after he won the U.S. Open.

Well, as Amanda Davies found out, he much prefers his new view from the top.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): So have you been on the London Iron Tour?

MARIN CILIC, TENNIS PRO (voice-over): No, I have not; first time. First time for everything.

DAVIS: Yes.

DAVIES (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) here now, given where you were pretty much this time last year, do you ever have imagined that you would be here

in London for the World Tour Finals 2014?

CILIC (voice-over): No, really, I was actually not thinking about it at all. I mean, I had to (INAUDIBLE) ranking 37th at the beginning of the

year, which is not great. And now sitting here, it feels amazing. So it has been a great year for sure.

DAVIES (voice-over): Do you think you have won the U.S. Open without that break?

CILIC (voice-over): I don't know. You never know. I mean, it's just -- that's how the life goes. You never know what's coming next and you might

be dealing with some difficult parts of your life and then next day or next month or soon after, the most amazing things are happening to you. That's

the beauty of sport.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

DAVIES (voice-over): Are you somebody who watches that match back and looks at the pictures and looks back at the newspaper articles?

CILIC (voice-over): I do. I do. And I'm just like it can happen any day, but I watch tennis in like maybe 10 times already the final, the highlight

and the -- just short parts of the match and just to feel how I play what I did on the court, all these small details that I'm not going to try to

recreate in a tournament I'm going to play in the future.

DAVIES (voice-over): How much were you aware of what your victory would mean to Croatia?

CILIC (voice-over): When I came back, I realized how much it had affect on the people. They were unbelievably proud and whoever I saw on the street

or anywhere, they were really congratulating me truly. And I was -- there was a satisfaction for me that I could, you know, with my job, it's a team

that I could, you know, make people happy with the work I did.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

DAVIES: What was it that made you decide to turn to Goran to have him in your corner as a coach?

CILIC: I think it was obvious decision, the conversation with Goran. He had a big influence on my career when I was 14. He played with me in

Zagreb and it was extremely huge experience for me. He just won Wimbledon when I'm 14, playing with him, it's a dream come true.

DAVIES: Do you remember watching that Wimbledon final?

CILIC: I do. I do remember. It was amazing atmosphere in Croatia.

DAVIES: So how do you go on (INAUDIBLE)?

CILIC: I believe continuing on the same path I experience in New York how I played and that was the best tennis of my life obviously. But when you

win at least once, it just shows you that you can do and that you are part of this small group.

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CILIC (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) fans when you're coming to a tournament, you feel you can win. That's (INAUDIBLE).

DAVIES (voice-over): Marin Cilic, it's been an absolute pleasure. Lovely to meet you.

CILIC (voice-over): Thank you. It was a pleasure (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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CASH (voice-over): To read more about the Elite Eight, log on to our website at cnn.com/opencourt.

CASH: Well, I've got a boat to catch. I'm off to the O2 to watch some action; coverage of the ATP World Tour Finals continues after the break.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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CASH (voice-over): Welcome back to OPEN COURT. We're on our way to the O2 Arena for the grand finale of the ATP World Tour Finals. And we're

traveling the same way as most of the players do: on a trusty speedboat as it certainly beats London traffic.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CASH (voice-over): This year the tour has a new man at the helm -- a skipper, if you like -- the ATP executive chairman in charge with growing

the tour globally and preparing to (INAUDIBLE) after, Roger (INAUDIBLE) Novak (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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ALEX THOMAS (voice-over): There's no denying that the tennis industry is growing and the governing body of men's tennis, the ATP, is no exception.

I sat down with Chris Kermode to see how the former journeyman player is bringing his experience in the music industry and as a tournament director

to the tour.

Chris, how do you assess your first year in charge?

CHRIS KERMODE, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, ATP (voice-over): Oh, it's been a fascinating year. I mean, I inherited the game in probably the best health

it's ever been. So that's the sort of -- the good part, but it's the tough part is where do you take it from here.

THOMAS (voice-over): You obviously have vast experience with your work at the Avon Championships and of course at the ATP World Tour Finals.

How different is it, though, when you've got the reins for the whole of the ATP?

KERMODE: Yes, there's a huge difference obviously doing events and you have total control (INAUDIBLE). I used to run it rather dictatorially, I

think, but now looking at the whole sport, I've got to look after the concerns and issues and worries of both players and promoters and

tournament directors.

THOMAS (voice-over): How can you not be dictatorial anymore? Because someone like (INAUDIBLE) might disagree.

KERMODE: You've got to be very strong in having a clear vision and strategy of what you want to achieve.

THOMAS (voice-over): So what is the key to growing tennis globally?

KERMODE (voice-over): I think looking at how we -- how people consume sport now, you know, television, how they -- you know, the younger

generation might, you know, my children don't seem to pay for anything anymore and watch everything on different forms than I used to do.

So you know, we've got to sort of take into account how people are consuming information.

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THOMAS (voice-over): Is this the year that we've just started to see what the new generation of stars might look like?

KERMODE (voice-over): This is the most diverse group in the World Tour Finals that we -- that we've ever had. So we've got, you know, the young

guys coming in. But it's funny; we talk about the young guns coming through and there's so many of them that the old guard aren't going down

easily.

You know, I think in past generations, you've had maybe one superstar. And there's never been a generation of four such dominating players. What's

happened, then, the younger generation have come through, having to see -- you realize they've got to play even better.

So I think it's just raised the level of tennis.

THOMAS (voice-over): We saw a fall raising of golf when Tiger Woods started doing less well. So are you trying to plan for the day when the

big four aren't as dominant?

KERMODE (voice-over): Lots of people talk, you know, doom and gloom about, oh, yes; tennis is going to be finished. But I heard that when I grew up

in the McEnroe-Borg era. And everyone said, oh, it's finished. It will never be the same again. And then along comes an Agassi. Along comes a

Becker. You know, there's always someone that comes through.

But for me, it's about storytelling and so sport is a -- actually very simple business model. It's about caring who wins over someone else.

That's all sport is. And if you don't care, it -- you know, it's not that interesting.

So if you know a bit more about their private lives, I think that helps as well. You buy into them as a person.

THOMAS (voice-over): Moving on to another at the strands that you now skip your arm, the approach to stopping people cheating in the sports,

(INAUDIBLE) passports.

How important is that to the strategy of anti-doping?

KERMODE: We have to be on top of it. Do I think, you know, it's endemic in our sport? Absolutely not. But it doesn't mean we can be complacent.

So we've done these new, you know, sort of enhanced rules with the (INAUDIBLE) passport, with more out-of-season testing, out-of-competition

testing, more blood tests. And I think that combination to show that we are all over this is very important.

THOMAS: Finally, Chris, you've been past guys is yet -- you're always playing the music industry. How rock 'n' roll is tennis?

KERMODE: The great thing for me is when I did Queen's and World Tour Finals, is Queen's is very traditional and you want to build on that. And

here we had an opportunity to do it where it was loud, in your face. It was very vibrant and colorful and I think (INAUDIBLE) courses, depending

where you are and certainly in certain regions.

THOMAS: So like music, you have different genres in tennis?

KERMODE: Yes, totally. Totally, yes, and everyone's got an opinion on music as well, so.

THOMAS: Thank you for your time, Chris.

KERMODE: Thank you very much. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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CASH (voice-over): Stay with us to find out which one of the game's greats is going to win the season-ending finale, here at the O2. See you after

the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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CASH (voice-over): Welcome back to OPEN COURT.

It's three hours before the season grand finale here at the ATP World Tour Finals and fans are waiting for Roger Federer's scheduled practice session.

He's expected to play Novak Djokovic tonight but there's no sign of him.

We're going to try and figure out what's going on. But first, here's ATP veteran Tommy Haas. He stopped by the O2 earlier this week to give us a

backstage tour.

Take it away, Tommy.

TOMMY HAAS, ATP VETERAN: Well, thanks, Pat. Here's my backstage pass to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Let's go behind the scenes and check

it out. Follow me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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HAAS (voice-over): So this right here is where the moment of truths are. This is where the players are waiting; smoke starts coming out on the side

here, the music is playing, lights are off; 18,000-19,000 people cheering them on.

That makes you nervous, just standing here, thinking about the fact going out there as a player.

So this is center court. This is where the action happens, obviously one of the biggest tournaments of the year, where the top eight players get to

battle it out for the world championship.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HAAS (voice-over): We're obviously here in the players' area, where they eat. So the chef takes care of all the players, which is very nice, as you

can see, plenty of space, plenty of room. (INAUDIBLE) here as well, which is nice. You know, players like to get in their carbs every once in a

while after a long day of hard work.

This is sort of like behind the scenes where every player has his own locker room. This is the very special unique thing about playing this

tournament with the top eight players of the world that qualify for this event, get their own locker room.

We've got Andy, which is very, very special. And here we have one of the first time participants, Kei Nishikori, who is glad to be part of this

elite group.

Roger Federer was actually kind enough to give us a sneak peek of the locker room.

So this is what you get when you participate in this tournament, nice place to kind of relax. They've made it very special for the players. They have

their own little mirror with their name on it. This (INAUDIBLE) Roger's name here. I'm not sure, but this is where the maestro takes their

showers. So the ladies can take a peek.

So this is the way to the player lounge and tennis family bar. Everybody gets together and can watch also the matches from the top here.

(INAUDIBLE).

Very cool.

Thanks so much, you guys, for following me here, backstage on the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. I hope you enjoyed it. And now it's time to get

back to Pat.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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CASH (voice-over): You've been telling us how much you've enjoyed Tommy's tour through social media. So if you want to stay up to date with our

show, check out our Twitter and Facebook pages.

Well, I've just arrived at the O2 Arena this afternoon and I've had an unexpected phone call from the ATP chairman, Chris Kermode. Now he's

telling me that Roger Federer has had to pull out, injured, at the finals. So Novak Djokovic is automatically become the ATP World Tour Finals

champion.

He's also asked me and some of the legends of the game to get on this amazing center court and play an exhibition match. Well, I haven't got my

racquets. So I'd better get going.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGER FEDERER, TENNIS PRO: Well, good evening. I'm sorry here -- I'm here in a track suit and not in a match outfit. Unfortunately match outfit to

play the match tonight, it will be too risky at my age to do this right now. And I hope you understand. I wanted to come out personally and

excuse myself for not playing.

(APPLAUSE)

CASH (voice-over): After Roger Federer addressed the crowd, a couple of exhibition matches got underway on what was a challenging day for many, I

joined several players and entertained the crowd.

After a surprising end to the week of top-tier tennis, Djokovic did the media rounds.

DJOKOVIC: It was a little bit of an awkward situation in the ceremony when I was receiving the trophy. But I played an exhibition match. We tried to

entertain the crowd, give them some good tennis. In general, I have to be proud with this trophy here in this tournament and with the way I finished

the season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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CASH (voice-over): Join us next month as we look back at some of our favorite stories of the year. Until then, it's goodbye from London.

END