In a thrilling three-hour match, Marin Cilic staged a comeback against Pablo Carreno Busta, securing Croatia’s spot in the Davis Cup semifinals. Despite trailing 4-1 in the decisive tiebreaker, Cilic managed to turn the tide, ultimately winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5) after 3 hours and 13 minutes. This victory, along with Borna Coric’s earlier upset of Roberto Bautista Agut with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (4), resulted in a 2-0 triumph for Croatia over Spain. Notably, it marked Croatia’s first Davis Cup victory against Spain after three previous defeats, setting up a semifinal clash with Australia.
Reflecting on his performance, Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open winner, expressed, “It’s such a great privilege and honor to bring another point for the team Croatia and seal the win against the always strong Spanish team.” Despite hitting 20 aces, Cilic also produced 15 double-faults during the match, showcasing the intensity of the competition. Coric, who was part of the Croatian team that secured a Davis Cup title in 2018, contributed to the victory by defeating Bautista Agut.
Coric, who relishes the grand stage and the support of the crowd, shared, “I like the big stage, I like the big crowd. It gives me extra motivation.” Bautista Agut, on the other hand, struggled to convert his lone break point in the match. The contest faced a brief interruption during the second set when two climate change activists ran onto the court, only to be swiftly removed by security officials.
Looking ahead, the Davis Cup quarterfinals will conclude with matches between the U.S. and Italy, as well as Canada and Germany on Thursday. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with the championship title set to be decided on Sunday. Each matchup in the tournament involves two best-of-three-set singles matches and one in doubles.