Madrid, Dec. 6 (BNA): Russia advanced 2-0 against Croatia in the Davis Cup final in Madrid on Sunday to secure its third title and first in 15 years, as Daniil Medvedev outscored Croatia’s Marin Cilic 7-6. 7) 6-2.
Medvedev, the US Open title holder, had to produce the best tennis player to survive from a tense first set, as a confident Cilic dispatched nine winning players with a forehand and won nearly three-quarters of his service points, Reuters reported.
The stunned crowd inside the Madrid Arena was shattered into a hushed silence as the 1.98-meter giant entered the tiebreak, with Medvedev reliing on his backhand despite a double mistimed error.
Cilic showed signs of fatigue in the second set as the world number two broke in the fourth game before running away with his momentum and dropping just one of his first serve points.
“I am more happy with the team than myself,” Medvedev said. “I’m just happy to be part of this team and to be able to score.”
Medvedev received a standing ovation from the crowd and reconciled with the Spanish fans after a week of hostility after Russia eliminated Spain in the group stage of the Davis Finals.
“I loved the atmosphere,” said Medvedev. “It was a really great two weeks because it was never easy to come here at the end of the season and compete. It was definitely the best two weeks of my career.”
Earlier, world number five Andrei Rublev beat Borna Gogo 6-4 7-6 (5) to give the Russian Federation a 1-0 lead.
Russia’s third title equals the Czech Republic and Germany for seventh place on the list of all-time Davis Cup winners.
Gojo, ranked 279 in the world, entered the match as the biggest surprise of the tournament and a favorite of the Spanish fans.
He was unbeaten in the finals with three victories over the world’s 61st-ranked Alexei Popirin of Australia, the Italian No. 27 Lorenzo Sonego, and the Serbian, ranked 33rd Dusan Lajovic.
But Rublev played an impeccable match, beating Gojo with a powerful serve to keep the Croat ahead.
Gojo struggled hard but Rublev broke on the fourth try before taking the first set in 35 minutes.
Gojo scored 11 aces, and the second set went to 6-6 before Rublev topped the tiebreak to claim the victory.
“It was very difficult and I felt a lot of pressure, but it is good to put my country ahead,” Rublev told reporters.
Russia is the fourth country to win the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup, after the women’s team won the event in Prague last month with a 2-0 victory over Switzerland in the final.