Marin Cilic will have a chance to clinch the Davis Cup title for Croatia when he goes up against Juan Martin Del Potro on Sunday in Zagreb. If Del Potro keeps Argentina alive, the fifth rubber would feature Ivo Karlovic and Federico Delbonis.
(ARG) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (CRO) Marin Cilic
Cilic and Del Potro will be squaring off for the 11th time in their careers and for the first time in more than three years when they contest the fourth rubber of the Davis Cup final on Sunday afternoon. Del Potro is dominating the head-to-head series 8-2, including 4-1 on hard courts and 1-0 in Davis Cup. In a 2012 quarterfinal tie, the Argentine–armed with home-court advantage and playing on clay–clobbered Cilic 6-1, 6-2, 6-1. The two U.S. Open champions have not met since the 2013 Paris Masters, where Del Potro got the job done 6-4, 7-6(3).
They just saw each other on opposite sides of the net on Saturday, when Cilic and Ivan Dodig beat Del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 6-3 in a crucial doubles rubber. That result was preceded by singles victories for both men on Friday. Cilic got the tie started by holding off Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-2 in three hours and 30 minutes. Del Potro answered for Argentina with a 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Ivo Karlovic that lasted three hours and 18 minutes. Cilic has played a ton of recent tennis, having also suited up for three matches at the World Tour Finals. He will have to be better than he was against Delbonis–especially in the third and fourth sets–if he wants to seriously compete with Del Potro.
Pick: Del Potro in 4
[polldaddy poll=9590194]
(ARG) Federico Delbonis vs. (CRO) Ivo Karlovic
Karlovic vs. Delbonis will decide the Davis Cup title if the fifth rubber is live following the outcome of Cilic vs. Del Potro. This would be the fifth career meeting between Karlovic and Delbonis, with the Croat holding a 3-1 advantage in the head-to-head series. In typical Karlovic fashion, they have twice played matches that went to final sets while featuring tiebreakers in every set. Two years ago in Vienna, Karlovic prevailed 6-7(1), 7-6(9), 7-6(2) in a contest that did not include a single break point. Earlier this fall in Tokyo, Karlovic again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat–this time via a 7-6(6), 6-7(6), 7-6(5) decision during which both men broke serve once in the third set before Karlovic saved two match points at 4-5.
At 37 years old, Karlovic is playing the best tennis of his career. His 2016 campaign is highlighted by two titles and a runner-up performance in Washington, D.C. The world No. 20 accounted himself well for the most part against Del Potro on Friday but was doomed by 12 double-faults. Delbonis also put up a commendable fight in his first rubber before going down to Cilic in five sets. The 26-year-old Argentine is a respectable 26-24 for the season and registers at No. 41 in the world. Predictably, however, Delbonis has struggled since the conclusion of the clay-court swing–during which he captured a title in Casablanca. On an indoor hard-court surface and with the home fans behind him, an in-form Karlovic should have a slight edge.
Pick: Karlovic in 4
[polldaddy poll=9590196]
who ya got?
I agree. That was a great move by Croatia to sub in Cilic in dubs. Croatia will win the Davis Cup!
ditto
Del Po in five and the doc in four
Cilic in 4 and Dr Ivo in 3.
Cilic in 5. If, as I think, Cilic wins, Ivo vs Delbonis may not be played as it will be a dead rubber.
Yeah I don’t think they play dead rubbers in the finals.
Cilic clearly taking advantage of the weaker Delpo BH.
It will be stupid not to!
Cilic now leads 2 sets to 1 against Delpo. He might do it in 4 sets. This will be the 5th time Argentina has beeN runner-up in DC.
Cilic is on fire, looks like he can win this match soon.
Drama in Croatia. Delpo gets warned for unsportsmanlike conduct and there is mayhem. Not too sure what Delpo did.
Delpo is fired up after that call from the umpire.
Still set point for Delpo!
The tennis channel commies said that Delpo said something to the umpire after he won the point to get the unsportsmanlike call.
Delpo ties it up!
If Delpo takes the 4th set he’ll win the match. Cilic will be demoralised.
Damnit. I feel so shitty for Cilic right now. On the cusp of taking the Davis Cup for his country. Now Karlovic will shit his pants against Delbonis too. I’m officially pissed. I love Del Po but I really didn’t want Marin to lose after he went up two sets to love. Fuck.
Vamos Mayer!
Mayer’a playing? If so Karlovic has this. If Delbonis is playing though it’s tricky for both sides. Man I just feel really bad for Cilic. Has lost to Sock Fed and now Del Po up two sets to love this season. Damn. I really hope Dr. Ivo wins. And they just showed Delbonis is playing him so yeah it’ll be Karlovic vs Delbonis. I will say I’m happy for Del Po. Love that guy. I would’ve probably been rooting for him if this wasn’t in Croatia and Cilic didn’t have a friggin two set to love lead. Sad for Cilic. Hope he still starts 2017 the way he ended 2016 aka in really good form. This would’ve really given him so much confidence and momentum to clinch the Davis Cup. I think some of the pain could wash away with a Karlovic victory. But it’s gonna be tough now. Del Po really did earn that match though. He hit his way back to the win. Plus Cilic comes back from those kind of losses well considering the way he played the rest of the season following his loss to Fed.
It has to be Leo.
I knew Delpo would win if he won the 4th set. Now for the final rubber.
Tennis matches do last an awful long time. This match lasted for 5 hours, near enough and the final match is still to come.
I’m relaxed. I actually don’t mind who wins.
Congrats to me on the Delpo win in 5!
But I have no hope for Delbonis.
rc,
Good for you with that pick! I had to go out and missed that fifth set. I guess that I could have recorded it, but forgot.
Great win for Delpo and well earned. He really seemed to step it up a notch after he got that call from the umpire. That’s why Delpo can be such a dangerous opponent. You think he’s out of it and you have the match under control and then the guy raises his level of play and gets back in it.
Tough loss for Cilic, but I am happy for Delpo.
Justin agrees with me. Delbonis is a wrong move.
Delbonis better move than Pella or Mayer. He’s in better form than both those guys. And Delbonis balls out in Davis Cup.
What a wonderful match, so much drama. Delpo and Cilic can play amazing tennis and for so long! Too bad for Cilic, he always has this tendency of playing two good sets of tennis followed by two bad ones and then has to fight tooth and nail in the fifth and many times suffered heart breaking losses. He really needs to improve on this if he wants to win some more slams (and DC).
Delpo as usual can stay focused for a long long time and always gives his best efforts. Well done and congrats to Delpo and Argentina; their hope is still alive.
Does Croatia win, if Ivo wins the first set? I’m confused.
No the winner of the match wins the cup. It’s just a matter of matches won not sets or games or anything like that.
?
oops, okay. I was thinking standing scenarios like in London or Singapore WTF’s.
15 – love
30 – love…
40…
Yes….Del Bo
oh gotcha??
ratcliff (AT 6:54 PM),
The Davis Cup is the men’s equivalent to the Fed Cup in women’s tennis.
Yeah, sorry. I was confused and counting total sets and games like it’s a WTF, Thanks!
Ivo will bail Cilic out.