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Tennis

France and Croatia stand on brink of Davis Cup final

France and Croatia could advance to the final of the Davis Cup on Saturday with wins in the doubles tie of the five match series. On Friday, France’s Benoit Paire and Lucas Pouille beat Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista respectively to give the defending champions a 2-0 lead over Spain.

Lucas Pouille beat Roberto Bautista in five sets to give France a 2-0 lead over Spain.
Lucas Pouille beat Roberto Bautista in five sets to give France a 2-0 lead over Spain. Reuters/Benoit Tessier
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Paire, 29, who was representing his country for the first time, betrayed his inexperience in the opening stages. He served six double faults and trailed by a break in the opening set. But after saving three set points he drew level at 5-5. From there he harvested seven consecutive games to take the first set 7-5 and lead 5-0 in the second.

Though Carreno Busta ended the sequence to trail 1-5, Paire won the next game to lead 7-5 6-1. The Spaniard, ranked 21st in the world, capitulated in the final set. Paire, spraying winners from all parts of the court, romped through it 6-0.

In Zadar, Borna Coric and Marin Cilic secured the points for Croatia against the United States. Coric saw off Steve Johnson in straight sets and Cilic, the world number six, was too savvy for the fast rising American Frances Tiafoe. He won their encounter 6-1 6-3 7-6.

Victories in the doubles on Saturday afternoon will send Croatia into their second final in three years while France will have the chance to become the first nation to claim back-to-back titles since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013.

“We’re not in the final yet,” said France captain Yannick Noah. "We still need one more point. Benoit did very well in his first Davis Cup match. Lucas stayed mentally strong to win it in five sets. Those kind of matches usually come down to two or three points and Lucas was stronger in those moments."

Spain, playing without the world number one Rafael Nadal, have not reached the final since 2012.

Sergi Brugera, the Spain captain, remained defiant ahead of the doubles. “We’re still alive,” he said. “There’s a point to play for and that is what we will do.”

 

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