After being banned from last year's US Open, Marin Cilic came back with a vengeance. Cilic missed last year's US Open after he was banned for four months due to doping. He said "I mean, it was a difficult period. I didn't know when I'm going to start back. But it was also a good period for me. I matured a bit more and I was working day after day."

But he used the time off to watch the tournament at home and practice under his new coach Goran Ivanisevic.

After 12 months of hard work, Cilic got what he deserves. 14th-seeded Cilic won his first major final Monday, beating 10th-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 at the U.S. Open by using 17 aces and the rebuilt game and confidence instilled by Ivanisevic.

Cilic commented "Seems completely unreal. To be called 'Grand Slam champion.'"

Ivanisevic said of CIlic's ban "This is a second chance he got. And now he can just go forward and forward."

Cilic earned a $3 million winner's check and will rise to No. 9 from his pre-U.S. Open ranking of No. 16, which made him the first man from outside the top 10 to win a Grand Slam title in a decade.

Cilic commented "This. is (from) all the hard work in these last several years - and especially this last year."

If Nishikori won, he would have been the first Asian to win the US Opens but Cilic had stopped him from doing so. Nishikori said "Tennis has not been our biggest sport in Japan. Hopefully I can win next time."

But long before the award he received in the US Open, Cilic had to endure. He was tested positive for a stimulant at a tournament in Germany in May 2013.

Cilic saw the positive side of the suspension and work on from there. He had a different appreciation for the sport and was more inspired there on. He said "Of course it was a huge motivation for me when I came back. I felt that I was more happy. I was enjoying much more the tennis court and still working hard for it."

"I felt tougher with myself in preparations and during the matches just clearer with my goals."