Davis Cup, day 4: Croatia slight favorite to reach the final
Croatia and Australia meet today in Málaga in the first semi-final of the Davis Cup 2022 (live from 4 p.m. on ServusTV On). The Croatians bring the better individual players with them.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Nov 24, 2022, 10:58 pm
A short flashback back to July 2022: Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic met Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell on Church Road in London to decide the Wimbledon title among themselves. The special thing about this match: Pavic fractured his right arm in a fall in the semifinals against Cabal/Farah and was only able to play with one hand in the final. It is all the more remarkable that the two Croatians could still get a taste of victory, only losing in the tie-break of the fifth set.
Today in Malaga there could be a revenge in the first semi-final of the Davis Cup 2022. Namely, when it is 1-1 after the individual between Croatia and Australia. That was not the case in the two quarter-finals: Lleyton Hewitt's team led 2-0 against the Netherlands, as did the Croatians against hosts Spain.
Cilic in the lead against de Minaur
Overall, however, the Europeans will be the slight favorites. Because Borna Coric can always be seen in the first individual, whether it's against Jordan Thompson or Thanasi Kokkinakis. In any case, the task for Marin Cilic will be tougher: although the 34-year-old veteran is leading 2-1 against de Minaur, all previous matches have gone the full distance. Just like a year ago in the Davis Cup in Madrid, where Cilic asserted himself in three sets.
The prospects that the Croatian ensemble will reach the final in the Davis Cup, as in 2021, are not bad. And whoever should be waiting in Málaga on Sunday: Neither the Italians nor the Germans will be as powerful as the Russians last year.