Sock heroics help USA build only 2-0 lead, so far, of Davis Cup quarterfinals

Team USA lost the first two sets in its Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against the visiting Croats, but it rolled through six consecutive sets thereafter to seize a commanding 2-0 advantage following Friday’s singles rubbers. Jack Sock stunned Marin Cilic 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 before John Isner took care of Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Cilic had also squandered a two-set lead against Roger Federer in last week’s Wimbledon quarterfinals, even missing three match points in the process. The world No. 12 watched Sock work similar magic, as the underdog American broke serve four times over the course of the last three sets to get the job done in three hours and 13 minutes.

“Yeah, up there for sure,” Sock said when asked where this ranks on his list of career accomplishments. “(I) haven’t played a ton of five-setters in my career; haven’t come back from two sets to love down. To do that today, in front of the home crowd (and) for the team, it almost feels extra special today.”

Isner also started slow against Coric, although he did not come close to falling into any kind of two-set deficit. The world No. 16 shockingly faced break points in six of his first seven service games, but he saved all of them (eight in total). Coric eventually cracked at 4-5 in each of the first two sets and a single break was also enough for Isner to take the third.

“I’m just sitting [in the locker room] and [Sock is] down two sets to love and things aren’t looking too good,” Isner reflected. “He won the third set. I saw that he had a lot of positive energy on his side. Then he wins that fourth set and I’m getting really animated in the locker room in the fifth set. He was able to pull it out playing incredible tennis.

For me, it helps a lot. I feel like it takes a bit of pressure off me as well, knowing that regardless of what I do out there on the court, we’re not going to be losing. At worst, we’ll be 1-1. I was in a good spot going out there today thanks to Jack.”

The Americans are in an even better spot now thanks to Isner and can clinch a spot in the Davis Cup World Group semifinals as early as Saturday if Bob and Mike Bryan defeat Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja in the doubles rubber.

“Obviously we’re happy to be (ahead) 2-0,” captain Jim Courier commented, “(but it) doesn’t change our job tomorrow; that’s to win the doubles…. So we keep things pretty simple from that standpoint.”

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