Cilic and Croatia, Del Potro and Argentina Advance to Underdogs Davis Cup Final

Croatia downed France, and Argentina topped Andy Murray and Great Britain in the Davis Cup semifinals over the weekend, setting up a final where the Croats will host Argentina at the end of November.
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The Croats won in their first singles match on Sunday when Marin Cilic straight-setted Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 to clinch the tie 3-1.

“It’s been a great weekend and I am at a loss for words to describe how I feel,” said Cilic. “I was really motivated for today’s match, having played with a lot of intensity all three days. I was aggressive and served very well, which I needed to in order to dictate the rallies. The crowd helped me stay focused throughout the match.”

The Argentina-Great Britain tie went the distance as Britain’s lack of depth hurt them in the end. In the fifth match Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer beat Brit Challenger-level player Dan Evans. Mayer replaced Juan Martin del Potro in the fifth match, coming from a set down for the 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win.

“It was a great victory to beat Great Britain here in Glasgow,” said Argentine captain Daniel Orsanic, who subbed Mayer for Del Potro after the former US Open champ played eight hours of tennis over the first two days. “Leo’s match was something we believed could happen, but I think it was a great effort from his part after playing a little nervous in the first set. He came out with his best tennis, with the tennis we used to see, with the tennis that made him win a lot of Davis Cup matches.”

Argentina is 0-4 in Davis Cup finals since joining the contest in 1921.

Croatia won its lone Davis cup title in 2005.

Del Potro set the tone for Argentina on the opening day, defeating Murray in five sets. In the Saturday double del Potro and Mayer lost to the Murray brothers in a long four-setter. Murray beat Argentine Guido Pella to force the fifth and deciding match.

“It’s a very special moment for the whole team,” Orsanic said.

The Croats will look to become the lone nation to win two Davis Cup titles as an unseeded team on Nov. 25-27.