2020 in Review: Borna Coric downs Dominic Thiem to push Croatia through

Croatia and Austria met in Sydney on the second day of the inaugural ATP cup, with the Croats scoring 3-0 victory after two thrilling singles encounters. Finishing the previous season on the lowest ranking position since 2007, Marin Cilic had to deal with injuries and lack of form in 2019, hoping for a better run in the new season that he opened with a tight 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dennis Novak in two hours and 26 minutes. Marin fired 15 aces and fended off both break points, keeping the pressure on Dennis, who made a solid start before losing serve once in sets two and three to hand the win to the Croat. In an anticipated battle of the higher-ranked players, Borna Coric earned the first top-10 triumph since Shanghai 2018, defeating Dominic Thiem 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 in two hours and 42 minutes to wrap up the tie for Croatia. Borna won one point more (100-99) as they were pushing each other to the limits despite not that many games in sets two and three.

Dominic grabbed four breaks from 12 opportunities, suffering three breaks from nine chances offered to Borna, who stole the opponent's serve in the crucial moments to emerge at the top. Coric had 27 winners and 33 unforced errors, following Thiem's 32-38 ratio and finding the way to bring the victory home in the decider. Thiem had better numbers behind the first serve, but it was the second that let him down, standing way behind the baseline at some moments and not attacking enough. The opening set lasted for 69 minutes, and it was Coric who could have clinched it much earlier after having a 5-3 lead.

At the ATP Cup, Borna Coric defeated Dominic Thiem in three sets.

Dominic cracked a forehand down the line winner to save a set point and broke back in the next one following a loose forehand from the Croat. Starting all over, Borna grabbed a tie break 7-4 with a forehand winner at the net, gathering momentum ahead of set number two.

Finding the range on serve, Thiem controlled the pace and opened the set with a break at 15, delivering another in game seven when Coric sent a backhand long. The Austrian sealed the set with a hold at love at 5-2, getting himself in a much better position ahead of the decider. The Croat gained the advantage in the final set's fourth game following a forehand error from the Austrian, who had a chance to pull it back in games seven and nine. Facing six break points overall, Borna endured all the obstacles - repelled the last three at 5-3 with winners - to seal the deal and propel Croatia over the top, scoring one of the most significant wins in the previous 15 months.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2JDn1cJ