Better Day for Croatian Sports: Wins for Čilić, Tomljanović and Croatia

There was better news on Tuesday at the Australian Open in Melbourne for Croatia’s hopes…

After Monday’s ‘day to forget’, which saw Croatia’s female hopes Petra Martić, Donna Vekić and Ana Konjuh only muster 6 games between them as they went crashing out in the first round of the year’s first Grand Slam, Tuesday was a much better day.

Croatia’s number 2 Marin Čilić, coached now by the legendary Goran Ivaniševič, joined fellow Croat Ivan Dodig in the second round after a  4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spaniard Marcel Granollers. Meanwhile, Croatia’s sole female hope, Alja Tomljanović (above)  beat Slovenian Tadeja Majerič 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-4. There was also good news for Croatian handball fans as Croatia kicked off their European Championships campaign with an expected 33-22 win over Belarus in Denmark.