Borna Coric sinks Jack Sock, Croats in semi-finals

Croatia completed a stunning Davis Cup comeback from 0-2 down to beat the USA 3-2 on Sunday and advance to the semi-finals where they will face France.

Borna Coric clinched the quarter-final victory for Croatia with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Jack Sock in the fifth and final rubber on the hard courts at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Portland, Oregon.

Croatia will now host France in September for a place in the final. It is the first time they have come back to win after losing the first two rubbers.

Coric started strongly against Sock, winning the first set in 36 minutes but then dropped a lengthy second set before closing it out.

He hammered 10 aces and won an impressive 70 percent of his second serve points in the three-hour, three-minute match.

He clinched the victory when Sock mis-hit a backhand which sent the ball sailing high and wide. Coric then grabbed his hat and threw it high in the air before rushing over to hug his team mates.

“Borna showed us the last few years how tough he is,” said team mate and former US Open champion Marin Cilic.

“Our team shows us how much spirit we have. Borna played amazing tennis here today, managed unbelievably to fight, to stay in there,” he added.

Cilic kept Croatia alive earlier on Sunday with a straight-sets win over John Isner. Cilic’s 7-6 (11/9), 6-3, 6-4 victory pulled Croatia level in the match at 2-2.