Coach Visak on ‘lucky’ vegan burgers & Cilic’s long road back to the winners' circle

As a coach, Vilim Visak is prepared to do whatever it takes — on or off the court — to ensure his charge is ready to compete.

The Croatian, who has worked with his countryman and former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings Marin Cilic since 2020, considers a positive atmosphere away from the practice court equally as important as the hard work done on it. This desire to help his player feel comfortable can sometimes lead to the development of peculiar routines, as it did during Cilic’s run to the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2022.

“The night before the first match, [the team] went to have a vegan burger, which is something unusual for us, and then Marin won his first match,” Visak recalled to ATPTour.com. “So except for Marin, we all had to go and eat the same thing again, day by day. After seven days, the waiters did not even ask us what we will have to eat, but routines must be followed. No other choice.

“For that tournament we dreamed of having anything except the vegan burger, but we try to do everything we can to keep the atmosphere positive for the rest. That was funny for us, but it was to make Marin also feel good.”

Marin Cilic and Vilim Visak have known each other since they were junior players in Croatia. Photo courtesy of Vilim Visak

Barely six months after Visak’s near-fortnight-long diet of vegan burgers, his emphasis on positivity was put to the ultimate test as one of the toughest periods of Cilic’s stellar career began. The 2014 US Open champion underwent surgery on his right knee in early 2023 and ultimately contested just two tournaments that year. His comeback in early 2024 lasted just two months, and he underwent another surgery on the same knee in May.

There is little a coach can do when it comes to a player’s physical recovery. Yet Visak, who began coaching aged 22 after a short playing career that included reaching the Roland Garros boys’ doubles quarter-finals with Novak Djokovic, understood he still had a major role in keeping Cilic motivated through the tough times.

“Mental toughness is just as important as getting better physically,” he said. “So [I told him to] try visualising himself back on the court, playing his best. I told him he should stay connected to tennis, watching the matches. We spoke a lot about who is playing where, who was in what form, and also watching matches thinking about strategy and talking about game plans.

“[I wanted him to] remember why he loves tennis and why he loves the game, and how far he had already come. Lastly, [I also wanted to help him] understand that recovery is part of the athletic journey, and it's not a setback, but a chance to grow and come back even stronger. You must be patient. But of course, it was a really tough time for us.”

Visak was not alone in supporting Cilic’s recovery. The 2014 US Open champion’s team banded together to help each other through the frustrations.

“It was not just me, we were a whole team,” said Visak. “We have a physio and fitness trainer. As a team, we were always looking for ways to make the atmosphere positive. I think it's important and relaxing. Also to help keep Marin’s head up, I set some goals he could actually reach. Small steps, so we could celebrate every little win. That's important, even if they seem tiny.”

That persistence with small steps paid off spectacularly upon Cilic’s return to competitive action. After easing back in to match action from late August by winning three matches across two ATP Challenger Tour events, the Croatian made his tour-level comeback as a wild card at the Hangzhou Open. Competing as the World No. 777 at the Chinese ATP 250, Cilic dropped just two sets en route to becoming the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

Physio Tomislav Bucanac and Visak celebrate with Cilic after the Croatian won the title in Hangzhou. Photo courtesy of Vilim Visak

Cilic and his team were naturally ecstatic after the Croatian defeated home favourite Zhang Zhizhen to claim his 21st tour-level crown. Yet Visak acknowledges that the struggles of the past two years gave him a different perspective as Cilic racked up his five wins to lift the trophy in Hangzhou.

“I don’t remember what I said to him, but we were really, really happy,” recalled Visak, when asked what his first words to Cilic were after the final. “It was an unbelievable week. Firstly, we were happy that he was on the court again. He didn't feel his leg after the first match, after the second match, after the quarters. For us, only that was important. Of course we wanted to win, but for me that was the win.

“He played the match for two hours in the first round, woke up the next morning, and the knee was good. That's like you won the tournament. You always want to win the tournament, but we went day by day, match by match, and we were in the final. He was playing unbelievably. It was a tough time behind us, and especially for him, and it was an amazing moment.”

Visak’s step-by-step approach to the Hangzhou triumph was a microcosm of his approach to Cilic’s injury recovery: Small setbacks happen, but the key is to focus on the long game.

“My philosophy is that tennis is not just about running and hitting balls. It's a mind game. It's a battle of emotions,” said Visak. “Think of it as a blank canvas, where players show their skills, combining fitness, match strategy and mental toughness. I think every match is something new, some new challenge, and each point is the chance to start fresh.

“I think coaching is not just teaching players to swing the racquet. It’s also teaching them to use their brain and understand the game inside out, and to stay cool under pressure. I think that’s also very important, as is remembering to respect the game. We always try to be better every day. It's a long journey, and every match is a lesson to learn.”

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