CROATIA 2, ARGENTINA 1 Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Davis Cup Final Croatia is one win from claiming their second Davis Cup crown after Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig provided the heroics in Saturday's doubles rubber. In front of a sold out Arena Zagreb in the Croatian capital, Cilic and Dodig defeated Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 6-3 to put the host nation ahead 2-1 after Day 2 of competition. Dodig, No. 13 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings, led the charge in claiming his fifth straight Davis Cup doubles rubber since 2015. He has won three in a row this year with Cilic. “This is a once in a lifetime experience and I have to thank...
CROATIA 1, ARGENTINA 1 Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Davis Cup Final Croatia, the 2005 champion, is level with four-time former finalist Argentina at 1-1 on Friday in the Davis Cup final at the Arena Zagreb. Argentina has previously defeated Croatia in quarter-final ties in 2002, 2006 and 2013. Marin Cilic handed Croatia the early lead when he used his big-match experience to beat Argentina’s Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-2 in three hours and 30 minutes. Cilic, who improved to a 49-23 record on the season, won 77 per cent of his first service points and struck 17 aces. World No. 41 Delbonis, who had recovered from 0-2 sets deficit against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in last year’s quarter-finals, hit...
CROATIA vs. ARGENTINA Arena Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia DAVIS CUP FINAL Croatia attempts to clinch its second Davis Cup trophy this week on home soil against Argentina, finalists on four previous occasions. Argentina has secured wins in 2002, 2006 and 2013 quarter-final ties. Marin Cilic, who competed at last week’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and finished at a career-high year-end No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, leads the Croatian team. Ivo Karlovic, at 37 years of age, is set to become the oldest player to feature in a singles rubber in a final tie for 96 years (43-year-old Australian Norman Brookes in 1920). Cilic takes on Argentina’s Federico Delbonis in Friday’s opening singles rubber, while Karlovic returns to the...
Gardnar Mulloy, who passed away on 14 November aged 102, was one of the last links to the pre-Second World War tennis circuit. The American rubbed shoulders with royalty – including Queen Elizabeth II, President Bill Clinton and movie stars, but lived his entire life in a modest three-bedroom Miami home. The remains of the original family court can still be seen in the backyard. ATPWorldTour.com paid tribute to Mulloy on the occasion of his 100th birthday in November 2013, and reproduces the piece below. Gardnar Mulloy is celebrating his 100th birthday today. He’s the first International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee to reach the age milestone and shuffles around now using a walking frame, much to his frustration. But...