MADRID, 29 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Croatia became the first semifinalist of the Davis Cup Finals after beating Italy 2-1 this Monday in the quarterfinals, which could not take advantage of their host status and fell in the final double.
The Croats, champions in 2018, the last year of the previous format, surprised the Italians thanks mainly to Borna Gojo, 249 in the ATP world rankings, who got rid of Lorenzo Sonego in the first point in three sets 7-6 (2 ), 2-6, 6-2.
That unexpected setback put more pressure on Filippo Volandri’s captains ahead of the second game where young Janik Sinner had to face veteran Marin Cilic. The 2014 US Open champion took advantage of it to put Italy on the edge of the abyss when, after taking the first set 6-3, he had 5-4 and serve to close the tie.
However, the Italian tennis player was able to withstand the tension of the moment to break a blank and later win the tie-break (7/4) to force a third and final set where Cilic held until 3-2 in his favor . Sinner accelerated and with four games in a row forced the double to decide.
But Croatia did not waste that option, supported by having Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic, number one and two in the world respectively in the modality and who did not fail against Fabio Fognini and Sinner, whom they defeated 6-3, 6-4 in a game in which they did not concede a break ball. The winner of Serbia-Kazakhstan will be his rival for the final.