Magnificent Marin Moves Croatia Into SF

CROATIA 3, KAZAKHSTAN 1
Venue: Varazdin Arena, Varazdin, CRO (clay – indoor)

Croatia reached the Davis Cup World Group semi-finals for the second time in three years after World No. 3 Marin Cilic cruised past Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

Cilic hit 31 winners to ease past Kukushkin, who scored the visiting nation’s only point on Friday, after two hours and one minute. Since losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2016 final, the Croatian No.1 has won all six matches he has played in the team event.

The Australian Open finalist improves his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Kukushkin to 3-1. Croatia has now won six consecutive ties on clay, with its last loss on the surface coming in 2013 against Great Britain.

Kazakhstan still waits for its first semi-final appearance in the competition, after falling in the quarter-finals for the fifth time. Croatia moves into a home semi-final against the United States. The tie will be played from 14-16 September.

USA 4, BELGIUM 0
Venue: Curb Event Center, Nashville, USA (hard – indoor)

Although the American Davis Cup squad had already clinched victory following yesterday’s four-set doubles rubber, Ryan Harrison took to court at the Curb Event Center in Nashville on Sunday, extending his team’s unassailable lead over Belgium to 4-0. The Brisbane finalist defeated Ruben Bemelmans 6-3, 6-4 in just over an hour.

Belgium, which had made the Davis Cup final in two of the past three seasons, will remain in the World Group in 2019, while the United States will advance to the semi-finals, where they will play Croatia. Croatia. 

Earlier in the tie, John Isner and Sam Querrey scored two wins for the American team in their opening singles rubbers, while Harrison and Jack Sock sealed the tie with a doubles triumph. All five Americans on the squad, including Steve Johnson, will be seeded at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship next week in Houston.