There's no place like home for Croatian baseliner Marin Cilic.  He has won three of his nine career titles at the 250 event in his nation's capital in 2009, 2010, and 2012.  A fourth of his titles also came in Croatia on the clay of Umag.  On Sunday, Cilic will aim for his fourth title in Zagreb and fifth in Croatia.

Indoor hard courts probably showcase Cilic's talents better than any other surface.  He has thrived in the controlled conditions this week, not dropping a set en route to the final.  To be sure, Cilic's opposition has been far from intimidating.  Three of his four challengers have ranked outside the top 100, including a wildcard and a qualifier, as many sections of the Zagreb draw imploded from the outset.  Cilic did notch a solid victory over fourth seed and compatriot Ivan Dodig in the quarterfinals.  

The final will pose a much sterner test for the home hope, however, for he faces top seed Tommy Haas. Ranked near the edge of the top 10, Haas has rediscovered his form in Zagreb after an ominous end to 2013 and start to 2014.  With those injury woes behind him, the 35-year-old German will hope to keep Cilic at bay with pinpoint serving and opportunistic forays into the forecourt.  The Croat's long groundstroke swings leave him vulnerable to opponents who can take time away from him, and he has lost two of their three previous meetings.  One of them came at Wimbledon in 2009, near the high-water mark of Cilic's career so far.  Haas prevailed by the narrowest of margins in a five-set epic.

This match also should hinge on just a handful of points, which would spell trouble for many players in Cilic's situation.  He never has looked burdened by the pressure of playing before his compatriots, though, as many home hopes do.  Instead, Cilic has embraced the spotlight that inevitably shines on him in Zagreb and produced some of his most confident tennis there.  

No matter the outcome of the week, both Cilic and Haas will leave Zagreb with much more momentum than when they arrived there.  After a meager January, both men have used February to catch their breath and prepare for a stronger spring.