Argentina Completes Comeback To Win First Davis Cup Title

November 28, 2016 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff


Juan Martin del Potro helped lead Argentina past Croatia for the nation's first ever Davis Cup title. 

Argentina captured its first ever Davis Cup title over the weekend, downing Croatia 3-2 thanks to two victories in the reverse singles matches on Sunday afternoon in Zagreb, Croatia.

Marin Cilic got things going for Croatia, holding on to defeat Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-2 to give his nation the early advantage. Juan Martin del Potro answered back with a 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5 win over Ivo Karlovic to even things at one-all.

Cilic then paired with Ivan Dodig to beat del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 7-6(2), 7-6(4) 6-3 in the third rubber, the lone doubles match, to bring Croatia within one victory of winning their second career Davis Cup title.

Playing in his third rubber, Cilic then opened up a two-set to love advantage over del Potro. But that is when things swung in the Argentinean favor, he hit a tweener lob in the beginning of the third set and seemed to be playing with confidence despite his predicament. The set remained on serve until the 12th game, when del Potro came through with a break to win the set and force a fourth.

Del Potro secured the only break point of the fourth set to send the match into a deciding fifth set, and after the two traded breaks in the decider, del Potro broke one more time in the eighth game and held his serve to complete the comeback and keep Argentina alive with a 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 win.

“I am delighted to have won an important match for my team,” said del Potro. “I think I played much better in the third set, my forehand got better and so did my baseline shots. I was positive all the time and did not let my head drop after going two sets down.

This was an emotionally exhausting match and one of the biggest wins of my career.”

Argentina still needed one win to complete its comeback, and it would come from Delbonis’ racket, as he defeated Karlovic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

“I think we are all very good players, the team captain chose me but anyone on this team is always ready to step up to the challenge,” Delbonis said of his team. “This is surely my greatest Davis Cup win for Argentina.”


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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