The Croatian team became this Sunday the second classified for the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup Finals after Italy secured the pass on Saturday also at the Pala Alpitour in Turin. Nino Serdarusic’s victory against Fabian Marozsan (double 6-4 in 71 minutes) already gave him the pass as the first of group D to the Balkans. Later, Marin Cilic could not round off the achievement with a victory against Zsombor Piros, who came back (4-6, 7-5 and 6-4 in 2h39). But the doubles of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic achieved the decisive point for the series (2-1) by beating Marozsan and Peter Nagy 7-6 (6) and 6-2.
Croatia returns to the penultimate round after the fiasco that meant not winning any of the two qualifiers they played in the first Finals of 2019, the year in which he defended the title won in 2018, the last with the old series format at home and abroad. That is why the team captained by Vedran Martic had to earn the qualification in the playoff that beat India in Zagreb. The presence of Cilic, the leader of his country in victories in Davis (43-17), and the best doubles pair in the world, Mektic and Pavic, has given wings to the Croatian team, who will face Italy on Monday. While Hungary, who could not beat Australia on Saturday, is already out of the tournament.
Kazakhstan, quarter-finalist for the sixth time
Kazakhstan will play in the Davis Cup quarter-finals for the sixth time in its history after defeating Canada (3-0) in the last group B tie at Madrid Arena. Mikhail Kukushkin and Alexander Bublik won their singles matches to qualify their country for a round it has never made it through.
Kukushkin suffered enough to overcome Brayden Schnur 6-3, 6-7 (5) and 7-5 in 2h53. Later, Bublik beat Vasek Pospisil with fewer complications (6-2 and 7-6 (6) in 59 minutes) with 14 aces and only 11 points lost with his serve. Golubev and Nedodyesov’s doubles rounded off the day by beating Peter Polansky and Schnur 6-4, 6-7 (6) and 1-6. Kazakhstan will face one of the two best seconds of the group stage on Wednesday, that it cannot be Sweden, which has a good chance of going through that route, and yes Spain, if it loses against Russia. Canada, a finalist in 2019, is eliminated as third of group B.
Great Britain repeats success
Great Britain, a brilliant semi-finalist in the 2019 Finals, repeats the success of reaching at least the quarters in the 2021 edition. The British team needed to beat the Czech Republic in Innsbruck in a direct duel for qualification and did not fail. Although he did it with suspense and thanks to the doubles match. Neil Skupski and Joe Salisbury, who fell on Saturday against Mahut and Rinderknech in the series against France, they rallied to beat Tomas Machac and Jiri Vesely 6-4 and 6-2 and give the pass to their team.
Previously, Daniel Evans had disappointed by falling 6-2, 7-5 with an inferior rival on paper like Machac (143rd in the world). And then he set the course, although with more suffering than expected, the Indian Wells champion, Cameron Norrie, who could with Jiri Lehecka (6-1, 2-6 and 6-1 in 1h41). Great Britain will play on Tuesday against the winner of Group F: Germany.
Davis Cup results.