Marin Cilic defeated Kei Nishikori, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, for his first Grand Slam title.
BARTON SILVERMAN

Cilic was the 14th seed in the men’s U.S. Open draw and had already won two singles titles this year

After the worry and the wait; after other years’ nerves and last year’s bitterness, it suddenly looked easy for Marin Cilic.

Tomas Berdych in the United States Open quarterfinals? Straight sets.

Roger Federer in the semifinals? Straight sets.

Kei Nishikori in the final with the wind and the pressure swirling? Same surprising, emphatic answer.

“Seems completely unreal to be called Grand Slam champion,” Cilic said.

So it might seem to a man who had never played in a Grand Slam final before, but the 6-foot-6 Cilic truly did not flinch: walking tall into Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday and playing taller as he swept to the title with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 rout of…