Tennis News • U.S. Davis Cup Update — Croatia Leads the U.S. • 2-1

Mike Bryan (L) and Ryan Harrison (R) of USA return to their opponents Mate Pavic and Ivan Dodig of Croatia in the double match for the Davis Cup semi final tie between Croatia and the USA in Zadar, Croatia, 15 September 2018.  EPA-EFE/ANTONIO BAT

 

 

Bryan and Harrison Win Doubles Epic to Extend World Group Semifinal in Croatia

 

Mike Bryan officially ended his Davis Cup retirement in dramatic and resounding fashion on Saturday in Croatia, teaming up with Ryan Harrison for the first time to win an epic Davis Cup doubles match, 7-5, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) over Mate Pavic and Ivan Dodig to extend this Semifinal tie into Sunday in Zadar.

 

The match lasted 4 hours, 41 minutes on the Sporski Centar Visnjik’s red-clay surface, officially the longest U.S. Davis Cup doubles match since the competition began using tiebreaks in 1989. Bryan is now 27-5 in Davis Cup doubles, while Harrison is 3-0 this year. Bryan also gets redemption, of sorts, as his and brother Bob’s loss to Dodig and Marin Cilic in the 2016 Quarterfinals vs. Croatia was the match that sparked the Croatians’ improbable comeback to win that tie and prompted the Bryans to retire from Davis Cup.

 

While the U.S. still has come back from an 0-2 Davis Cup deficit only once in 41 tries, the odds of a comeback from 1-2 down are slightly better. That’s happened five times in U.S. Davis Cup history, most recently in the year 2000, when it happened twice.

 

The Americans’ fate will be decided with singles on Sunday, as Steve Johnson is set to take on Cilic in the day’s first match, with Frances Tiafoe pitted against Borna Coric in what would be the fifth and decisive rubber. Each team captain may change the players nominated for singles up to one hour before the match.

 

The winner of this tie will face France in the Finals, as France defeated Spain, 3-0, today, in the other semifinal. The U.S. would host France in the United States November 23-25.

 

Play on Sunday begins at 11 a.m. local time, 5 a.m. Eastern time in USA . Each match will air live on Tennis Channel.

 

ORDER OF PLAY / RESULTS

 

Friday

Borna Coric (CRO) d. Steve Johnson (USA), 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-3

Marin Cilic (CRO)d. Frances Tiafoe (USA), 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(5)

 

Saturday, 2 p.m./8 a.m. ET

Mike Bryan/Ryan Harrison (USA) d. Ivan Dodig/Mate Pavic (CRO), 7-5, 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-7(5), 7-6(5)

 

Sunday, 11 a.m./5 a.m. ET

Steve Johnson (USA) v. Marin Cilic (CRO)

Frances Tiafoe (USA) v. Borna Coric (CRO)