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TORINO (Italy): Croatia ousted in the semifinals of the magnificent Italian Davis Cup on Monday when men’s doubles Olympic champion Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic ousted Jannik Sinner and Fabio Fognin in a decisive match.
The Italians were one of the championship favorites, but paid Lorenzo Sonego a shock loss on the world list for 279 Borna Gojo in Turin’s first doubles match.
In the singles world rankings 10. Sinner forced a decisive singles game, winning a dramatic win over Marin Cilic, but he was unable to work against the top two doubles players as Mektic and Pavic won 6-3, 6-4 to silence the home crowd.
Croatia will face either Novak Djokovic of Serbia or Kazakhstan in the next semi-finals in Madrid.
“Honestly, it feels amazing. I don’t think anyone would expect us to get this far, and it feels amazing to go to Madrid,” Mektic said.
Croatia is vying for the third Davis Cup championship and will repeat in three episodes after raising the trophy in 2018.
Last year’s edition was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This win confirms their place in next year’s Davis Cup finals, and four semi-finalists are guaranteed entry.
“It was very tight, but my players fought so well. I’m so happy,” said Croatian captain Vedran Martic.
Mektic and Pavic were the stronger pair throughout the doubles, and Fognin’s feed was often targeted.
They needed six set points to take the opening despite dominance, but won their first match in the second set when Pavic shot an ace.
Earlier, rising star Sinner fought back from the batch and break to defeat Cilic and force a duel rubber.
Italy were expecting a quick exit in Turin when former US Open champion Cilic offered the match, leading 5-4 in the second set.
But Sinner fought back from the edge, broke into love before the tie-break and won 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Gojo beat Sonegon 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-2 and gave Croatia first point.
Croatia won a hesitant start when the 23-year-old was 4-1 behind Sonego in northern Italy, after which he returned from 5-3 and took the first set in a tie-break.
Sonego, 26, returned in the second set but dropped the pass in the final set in a 2-1 situation. Making over 30 non-forced mistakes, Gojo won in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
The Italians were one of the championship favorites, but paid Lorenzo Sonego a shock loss on the world list for 279 Borna Gojo in Turin’s first doubles match.
In the singles world rankings 10. Sinner forced a decisive singles game, winning a dramatic win over Marin Cilic, but he was unable to work against the top two doubles players as Mektic and Pavic won 6-3, 6-4 to silence the home crowd.
Croatia will face either Novak Djokovic of Serbia or Kazakhstan in the next semi-finals in Madrid.
“Honestly, it feels amazing. I don’t think anyone would expect us to get this far, and it feels amazing to go to Madrid,” Mektic said.
Croatia is vying for the third Davis Cup championship and will repeat in three episodes after raising the trophy in 2018.
Last year’s edition was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This win confirms their place in next year’s Davis Cup finals, and four semi-finalists are guaranteed entry.
“It was very tight, but my players fought so well. I’m so happy,” said Croatian captain Vedran Martic.
Mektic and Pavic were the stronger pair throughout the doubles, and Fognin’s feed was often targeted.
They needed six set points to take the opening despite dominance, but won their first match in the second set when Pavic shot an ace.
Earlier, rising star Sinner fought back from the batch and break to defeat Cilic and force a duel rubber.
Italy were expecting a quick exit in Turin when former US Open champion Cilic offered the match, leading 5-4 in the second set.
But Sinner fought back from the edge, broke into love before the tie-break and won 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Gojo beat Sonegon 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-2 and gave Croatia first point.
Croatia won a hesitant start when the 23-year-old was 4-1 behind Sonego in northern Italy, after which he returned from 5-3 and took the first set in a tie-break.
Sonego, 26, returned in the second set but dropped the pass in the final set in a 2-1 situation. Making over 30 non-forced mistakes, Gojo won in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
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Sources 2/ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/croatia-claim-surprise-davis-cup-win-over-italy-to-reach-semis/articleshow/87995310.cms The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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