Updated:
Keep
He couldn’t handle everything. Novak Djokovic is left without Davis Cup, again, dropped from the tournament in the semifinals after fighting in singles and doubles against Croatia, the first finalist of 2021.
The world number 1 has a passion for playing in the Serbian jersey. Leader on the track and on the bench, he even exercises the functions of captain. And still, he leaves the Davis Cup Finals empty again. In 2019 it was in the quarterfinals, this time in the semifinals, but the result remains the same: Djokovic has a thorn left again. It will not be due to effort, wasted in this week and a half by the winner of 20 Grand Slams, doubled in almost every round.
Seven games and six wins. But not even the best player in the world in singles could with the best doubles pair.
Croatia reaches the final of the Davis Cup 2021 thanks to an impeccable match by Borna Gojo. The 279 of the world grew beyond his 1’98 to lift his country and give the first point with a measured and appeased tennis against Dusan Lajovic (4-6, 6-3 and 6-2). But number 1 was not going to give up so soon, focused on his goal of raising the Salad Bowl, as he did in 2010. He was the leader of everything for beat Marin Cilic by 6-4 and 6-4; he wiped away his sweat a bit and went back out into the ring to defend the shirt in the doubles, with Filip Krajinovic, and not Nikola Cacic as in previous matches.
And the experiment did not go well. Because Novak Djokovic will be number 1 and the best individual tennis player, but in front of him he had the best couple in the world, the Croats Nikola Mectic and Mate Pavic. In this exceptional course they have lifted 9 titles, Wimbledon and Olympic gold among them. And in the Davis Cup, they also had the support of a thunderous half-tier. Djokovic endured his services, but there was no continuity or more gasoline in his hand, which Krajinovic could not repair either.
It had been a limit Davis for Djokovic, as he already had to wait until the last minute of Russia-Spain to know if he would pass the group stage. In the quarterfinals, against Kazakhstan, he had to lift the point lost by Miomir Kecmanovic, against Mikhail Kukushkin (7-6, 4-6 and 7-6) with a win over Alexander Bublik (6-3 and 6-4) and double in the doubles with Nikola Cacic (6-2, 2-6 and 6-3).
In the semifinals, there was no longer a feat. It is Croatia who will play the final on Sunday (4:00 pm, Movistar) and it is Djokovic who will have to wait another year to fight for the Salad Bowl.
See them
comments
.
