Coric completed an unlikely comeback for Croatia as the small Balkan nation beat the USA in the Davis Cup quarter-finals. PHOTO: FILE
Borna Coric clinched the quarter-final victory for Croatia with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Jack Sock in the fifth and final rubber on the hard courts at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Portland, Oregon.
“We knew it was going to be extremely tough,” said teammate and former US Open champion Marin Cilic of Croatia’s chances of rebounding after dropping both opening singles. “It’s very challenging to go 2-0 down against the USA, especially with the Bryans, but we believed that if we played well and we continued to fight we might get some chances.”
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Cilic kept Croatia alive earlier on Sunday with a straight-sets win over John Isner. His 7-6 (11/9), 6-3, 6-4 victory pulled Croatia level in the match at 2-2.
Sock had rallied from two sets down to stun Cilic 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening match on Friday.
Isner followed up with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win over Coric as the USA swept into a 2-0 lead, but the mighty doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan couldn’t seal the deal for the USA on Saturday, falling 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Ivan Dodig and Cilic — who replaced Marin Draganja with the tie on the line.
Croatia will now host France in September for a place in the final. It is the first time they have come back to win after losing the first two rubbers.
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Edmund takes Britain into semis
Kyle Edmund won his second singles rubber of the weekend to steer Davis Cup champions Great Britain past Serbia on Sunday and into a mouth-watering semi-final clash against Argentina.
Edmund, ranked at 67 in the world, justified his position as his country’s top player in the absence of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray to see off Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) on the back of 39 winners for an unbeatable 3-1 lead.
“You want to win for your country. When you know what is at stake — I’m so pleased that I’ve won,” said Edmund.
Britain go on to host Argentina in September after the South Americans reached the semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Italy in Pesaro.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2016.
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