By Chris Oddo | Friday September 16, 2016

 

Marin Cilic brought Croatia level with France, setting up a critical doubles battle for Sunday.

Photo Source: Davis Cup

Croatia and France will head into Saturday’s all-important doubles rubber deadlocked at one apiece. Marin Cilic battled past Lucas Pouille, 6-1, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-2, after Richard Gasquet had opened festivities brilliantly for France by easing past Borna Coric in straight sets.

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The victory sets up a crucial doubles rubber that Cilic says he may be a part of.

"Tomorrow morning we will decide if I am going to play in the doubles or not,” Cilic said after his two hour and 55-minute battle with 22-year-old Pouille. “I feel well, I am not overly exhausted.”

Cilic joined forces with Ivan Dodig to spark a momentous comeback for Croatia against Team U.S.A. in Portland in July. Dodig and Cilic defeated Mike and Bob Bryan in four sets to set off a comeback from 2-0 down to keep alive its bid for a first Davis Cup title since 2005.

On Saturday the opponent will be the world No. 1 pairing of Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The French duo defeated Lukas Rosol and Radek Stepanek in five sets to pave the way for France in the quarterfinals this July in Trinec.

In Friday’s first rubber, Richard Gasquet filled in for injured Gael Monfils and notched a straight-sets win over Borna Coric. The 19-year-old Coric has been dealing with a knee injury and was not sure that he would compete until Wednesday. He struggled to find his rhythm early against Gasquet and couldn’t capitalize on his chances in the second set. Coric failed to serve out the set from 5-4 and ended up falling in a tiebreaker. In the third set Coric went meekly, dropping the final six games, and leaving some doubt about his competitive abilities should he be needed for a fifth rubber on Sunday.

Coric has clinched Croatia’s two previous ties in decisive fifth rubbers in 2016, and if he is called on again on Sunday, he’ll likely face Lucas Pouille in a battle of rising stars.

“I’m feeling okay,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to wake up tomorrow feeling fresh. But it’s normal—I’m going to get some rest (tonight) for sure.”

The fourth rubber on Sunday will feature Cilic vs. Gasquet. Gasquet owns a 2-1 lifetime edge over Cilic, but the Croat won their only meeting of 2016 in three sets at Indian Wells.