Juan Martin del Potro avenges his Rio Olympics final loss to Andy Murray by pushing Argentina closer to their first Davis Cup final since 2011
Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina celebrates after defeating Great Britain’s Andy Murray on Day One of the Davis Cup semi-final at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday. Pic/Getty Images
Glasgow (Scotland): Argentina was in sight of a first Davis Cup final since 2011 after taking a 2-0 lead over titleholder Britain thanks to singles wins by Juan Martin del Potro and Guido Pella in the semi-final on Friday.
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Del Potro ended Andy Murray’s 14-match winning streak in the Davis Cup, coming through 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 in 5 hours, 7 minutes to gain a measure of revenge after losing the Olympic final to Murray. It was the longest match of their careers.
Pella beat Kyle Edmund 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, meaning the Argentines can clinch victory with a day to spare in Glasgow if they win the doubles on Saturday. Federico Delbonis and Leonardo Mayer are scheduled to play the Murray brothers, Andy and Jamie.
Murray had never previously lost a home singles match in the Davis Cup.
Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, is a force in tennis once again after returning from three wrist operations that nearly ruined his career. He is Argentina’s top player but is ranked a lowly No 64 on his comeback trail, meaning he had to play Murray in the opening match.
“I cannot imagine this moment in my career,” Del Potro said. “This was the type of match I was missing when I was at home.”
Argentina is playing its 11th Davis Cup semi-final in 15 years. The south American country has never won the team event, finishing runner-up in 1981, 2006, 2008, and 2011.
Croatia level with France
ZADAR (Croatia): Marin Cilic held his nerve to beat big-hitting Lucas Pouille 6-1, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 and draw Croatia level against France at 1-1 in their semifinal on Friday.
Earlier, Richard Gasquet won the opening tie against Borna Coric in straight sets to heap the pressure on the big-serving Cilic. Gasquet beat Coric 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
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