Davis Cup Final: Argentina’s Captain Talks About his Croatian Roots

Daniel Orsanic (photo credit: infobae.com)

An Argentine-Croatian will lead Argentina against Croatia in the final of the 2016 Davis Cup from 25-27 November…

Current Argentina Davis Cup team captain Daniel Orsanic will lead Argentina as they do battle in Croatia in the Davis Cup final. The 48-year-old former professional tennis player spoke to La Nacion about his roots.

“I have Croatian blood, but I am Argentinian by birth and by heart. In Croatian I only know how to say ‘zdravo’ (hello) and ‘kako si’ (how are you)”, says Daniel.

Orsanic’s father Branko (84) left what was then Yugoslavia as a 15-year-old boy. After spending one year in Austria and three years in Italy, he finally settled in Buenos Aires where Daniel was born to an Argentinian mother.

Today in Croatia the largest concentration of the surname Oršanić is in Otočac, whilst Daniel’s grandfather was from Slavonia.

Orsanic was a left-hander and was seen as a doubles specialist winning 8 titles and playing in 7 finals. He played in the Croatia Open in Umag on 3 occasions (1992, 1993, 1994).

Orsanic will be attempted to lead Argentina to their first Davis Cup title in November and he knows it will not be an easy task.

Orsanic says Croatia is the complete team (photo: Davis Cup/Twitter)

“Croatia is a good team. (Marin) Čilić is a great player and in good form at the moment. (Borna) Ćorić is still young but he is very mature for his age. Dodig for years has been at the top of doubles tennis. Croatia is a complete side. It is clear it will be a hard and very fast surface we play on but we can play on all types of surfaces,” he said.

Orsanic might not have to worry however about Ćorić in November as the young star has been forced to go under the knife next week to repair a knee injury and will be facing a race against time to be fit. Veteran Ivo Karlović may come out of retirement for the final if Ćorić is ruled out.