Tennis news - Croatia win Davis Cup as Marin Cilic clinches victory in France
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ByEurosport
Updated 25/11/2018 at 22:42 GMT
Marin Cilic clinched Croatia's second Davis Cup title as he beat France's Lucas Pouille 7-6(3) 6-3 6-3 to give his side a decisive 3-1 lead in the final at Lille's Stade Pierre Mauroy on Sunday.
Marin Cilic clinched the Davis Cup for Croatia
Image credit: Getty Images
The powerful world number seven was relentless as he snuffed out any hope of a famous French fightback -- giving Pouille little chance of sending the final into a fifth rubber.
Pouille, 24, did not have a single break point and despite pushing Cilic hard in the first set, he lost the last four points of the tiebreak and never threatened a comeback.
Cilic wasted four set points when Pouille battled back from 0-40 down at 2-5 in the second set but with his own serve rock-solid he calmly moved into a two-set lead.
The mainly French 22,000 crowd kept roaring their support for Pouille, but it was the Croatia contingent, decked out in their distinctive red and white, who would soon be celebrating.
Cilic broke for a 3-2 lead in the third set and then closed in for the kill when Pouille served at 3-5. The Frenchman saved two match points from 0-40 but Cilic would not be denied and finished it off with a lob.
The 30-year-old was immediately swamped by his team mates as Croatia emulated their triumph of 2005.
Cilic said: "For us, it's a dream come true for this nation. We are so passionate. You can see the fans, and I feel that in Croatia it's going to be incredible too."
Croatia's win will enter the history books as the last final played before the 118-year-old team competition gets a revamp. Next November a new format will see 18 teams assemble in Madrid for a World Cup-style event to decide the champions.
Davis Cup final - France 1-3 Croatia
- Borna Coric (CRO) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-2 7-5 6-4
- Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-3 7-5 6-4
- Pierre-Hugues Herbert & Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Ivan Dodig & Mate Pavic (CRO) 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6
- Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA) 7-6 6-3 6-3
Played at Stade Pierre Maurot, Lille, France
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