Davis Cup 2018: Croatia Beat Canada to Advance to Quarterfinals
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Borna Coric (photo: Davis Cup official)
SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY:
Borna Coric has sent Croatia through to the Davis Cup quarter-final with a straight-sets win over Denis Shapovalov today in Osijek.
Coric’s 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 18-year-old Shapovalov means Croatia took an unassailable 3-1 lead over Canada.
Another thumping forehand – and Croatia is now just one set away from the #DavisCup quarterfinals!@borna_coric has hardly put a foot wrong all day 👏🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/zfE99B07Fn
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 4, 2018
Coric was undefeated all weekend bringing Croatia two points. Croatia will now meet Khazakstan on 6-8 April at home for a place in the semi-final of the World Group of the Davis Cup.
🇭🇷3️⃣🆚1️⃣🇨🇦
A near faultless performance from @borna_coric, beating #Shapovalov 64 64 64. Croatia is into the World Group quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/bEUGGKKoSs
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 4, 2018
SATURDAY 3 FEBRUARY:
Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilic fight back from 0-2 down to defeat Nestor & Pospisil 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 to give Croatia a 2-1 lead going into the final day on Sunday.
What a comeback! 🇭🇷 @cilic_marin & @DodigTennis fight back from 0-2 down to defeat 🇨🇦 Nestor & Pospisil 26 36 64 75 62 and Croatia takes the lead!
🇭🇷🆚🇨🇦 #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/qev5cvuNtv
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 3, 2018
🇭🇷 @cilic_marin doesn’t just knock on the door, he kicks it down! 💥🇭🇷🆚🇨🇦 #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/AQ2OrhD6sx
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 3, 2018
Cilic, who was rested on the first day, is expected to play the final singles match if required tomorrow. First up Borna Coric will aim to give Croatia an unassailable lead when he meets Denis Shapovalov.
…
UPDATE:
Croatia and Canada are locked at 1-1 after the first day of their Davis Cup clash after World No. 181 Viktor Galovic went down fighting against World No.48 Denis Shapovalov in the second match of the day 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
…
OSIJEK – 2 February 2018 – World No.47 Borna Coric has given Croatia a 1-0 in the Davis World Group first-round tie against Canada on Friday in Osijek.6-
Coric came back from a set down to beat Canada’s late replacement Vasek Pospisil in the first rubber in four sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Pospisil started the match strongly and in the eighth game of the first set, the Canadian would be first to break. He then held his serve in the following game to take the opening set 6-3.
With the crowd at Sportska Dvorana Gradski Vrt in Osijek starting to come to life, Coric came out a lot more aggressive in the second set, attacking Pospisil’s weaker backhand.
🇭🇷 @borna_coric levels the match against #Pospisil, much to the delight of the Croatian crowd! pic.twitter.com/Pyu956HobB
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 2, 2018
A double-break would give Croatia the set 6-2 and when Coric broke the Canadian early in the third his frustration started to show as he lost his cool and smashed his racket on the clay surface.
💥😳 @VasekPospisil #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/oiQhd7pfhj
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 2, 2018
Coric kept his composure, however, and broke with ease thanks to some flawless baseline play to take out the set.
Coric, with all the momentum, was the first to break serve in the fourth set when he came from 15-40 down in the third game.
🇭🇷 #Coric may have won this battle, but 🇨🇦 #Pospisil holds in the opening game of the 4th set! #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/YGMKu22LiD
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 2, 2018
Coric would break again the fourth set to love then hold his serve and take out the set and the match to Croatia a 1-0 lead.
With Croatia’s No.1 Marin Cilic being rested on the opening day, World No.181 Viktor Galovic would be next on court to face World No.48 Denis Shapovalov.
Croatia 3-1 Canada
Friday 2 February:
Borna Coric (47) v Vasek Pospisil (85) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Viktor Galović (181) v Denis Shapovalov (48) 6-4. 6-4, 6-2
Saturday 3 February:
Ivan Dodig/Marin Cilic v Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil – 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2
Sunday 4 February:
Borna Coric (47) v Denis Shapovalov (48) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Followed by: Viktor Galović (181) v Peter Polansky (141)
