The doubles confirms the comeback over Croatia in the first semifinal in Malaga
MADRID, 25 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Australian Davis Cup team reached the final of the tennis World Cup that is taking place in Malaga after coming back from the first semifinal against Croatia this Friday, thanks to the decisive point in the doubles that Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell added.
Australia, the second country with the most titles, won the 28th and last one in 2003 –against Spain–, and 19 years later it returns to the final. Martín Carpena smiled at an ‘aussie’ team without Nick Kyrgios and without the Wimbledon champion couple due to a change in the program.
Captain Lleyton Hewitt removed Matthew Ebden, with whom Purcell conquered London, from the equation and brought in Thompson. All in all, Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic fell in three sets (6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4) without avoiding the elimination of the finalist last year or being able to add a partial revenge for the defeat at Wimbledon .
The Croatian duo, one of the best in the world and champion of five titles this season, took control of the third and decisive point with the first set. However, in the eleventh game of the second, the Australians achieved the ‘break’ with which they forced the third set. Again equalized and with a single ‘break’, the Australian doubles signed a spectacular victory to go to the final.
Croatia, executioner of Spain in the quarterfinals, had started the day ahead thanks to the opening point that Borna Coric added against Thanasi Kokkinakis, by a clear 6-4, 6-3. However, Álex de Minaur was just as forceful in keeping Australia alive with his 6-2, 6-2 win over Marin Cilic.