Croatia Faces Argentina In Davis Cup Final

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 Croatian squad after a four-year absence to play Juan Martin del Potro. The draw ceremony, which was held on Thursday at the Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall, saw Croatia’s Franko Skugor and Ivan Dodig against Leonardo Mayer and Guido Pella in Saturday’s doubles rubber.

Del Potro, the Comeback Player of the Year in the ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon, admitted on Thursday, “I think Croatia are the favourites to win the tie. They are at home and have a very strong team, but we are looking forward to a great weekend and we are also very proud to be in another final.

Del Potro, who has a 4-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head lead against Karlovic, added, “I’ll have to be focused against Karlovic because one break of serve could cost me the match. It is great to be in the final at this point of my career after so many injuries.”

Cilic and del Potro, both former US Open champions, are set to meet each other in the first reverse singles rubber on Sunday at Arena Zagreb. “Del Potro and I have known each other for a very long time. He is a great player and a very nice person. We always get along very well on the ATP World Tour and he is a very positive character for world tennis.” Del Potro leads Cilic 8-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.

“It will be nice to have [footballer Diego] Maradona here, but it makes no difference to us that he will be cheering on his compatriots,” added Cilic. “There is little or nothing between the two teams and hence our passionate fans can make all the difference.”

Team Nominations
Croatia: Marin Cilic, Ivo Karlovic, Borna Coric, Ivan Dodig; Captain: Zeljko Krajan
Argentina: Juan Martin del Potro, Federico Delbonis, Guido Pella, Leonardo Mayer; Captain: Daniel Orsanic

Davis Cup Final Schedule
Friday: Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Federico Delbonis (ARG)
Friday: Ivo Karlovic (CRO) vs. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Saturday: Ivan Dodig / Franko Skugor (CRO) vs. Leonardo Mayer / Guido Pella (ARG)
Sunday: Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Sunday: Ivo Karlovic vs. Federico Delbonis (ARG)