World No.1 Doubles Player Mate Pavić to Return for Croatia’s Davis Cup Semifinal v USA

Mate Pavić (Photo: Australian Open/Twitter)

Good news for Croatian tennis fans as world doubles No.1 Mate Pavić will return to play for Croatia in the important Davis Cup semifinal. 

Pavić (25), who this year became the youngest player since 1996 to reach the world number one ranking in doubles, will return after a 4-year absence from the national team. 

Because of a disagreement with current coach Željko Krajan, Pavić has not represented Croatia in the Davis Cup since 2014 but news today that the pair has patched up their disagreement and the doubles specialist will be available for the important semifinal against the USA in Zadar next month. 

“It is true, I will play, I have made myself available”, Pavić told index.hr. 

This week the Croatian Tennis Federation published a poster promoting next month’s Davis Cup semifinal which featured Pavić.

Pavic has had a fantastic year to date, claiming two Grand Slam titles at the 2018 Australian Open when he won the men’s doubles title with Oliver Marach and the mixed doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski.

He also won the mixed doubles titles at the 2016 US Open in partnership with Laura Siegemund and also reached the 2017 Wimbledon Championships men’s doubles finals.

Croatia will take on the USA in Zadar from 14-16 September with Pavić most likely to partner Ivan Dodig, another Grand Slam winner, in the doubles. 

Marin Čilić and Borna Ćorić will lead Croatia in the singles.