July 10, 2022 - Young Croatian tennis player Mili Poljičak, who will turn 18 in three days, has won the Wimbledon Juniors tournament!

In the final match, the young Split tennis player and the tournament's third seed defeated American Michael Zheng 7-6(2), 7-6(3).

Poljičak thus became the third Croatian tennis player in history to win a junior Grand Slam tournament. Previously, Marin Čilić succeeded in this in 2005 at Roland Garros and Borna Ćorić in 2013 at the US Open. Croatian female tennis players, on the other hand, have six triumphs in junior competitions.

The first set lasted almost an hour, and Zheng was the first to break. He first went up to 3-2 and then what seemed like an unattainable 5-2.

However, Poljičak was able to recover. Zheng served for the first set, which then went to a tie-break. Poljičak immediately made a mini-break. He subsequently escaped to 6-2 and quite convincingly won the final fight to win the first set.

In the second set, Zheng was the first to break and took a 3-1 lead. However, after missing two break points in the fourth game, Poljičak went 0-40 at 2-3. He used the third break point in that game and tied it to 3-3.

Poljičak was dangerous in the second set when leading 4-3 and 5-4, but the American somehow brought it to a new tie break.

Poljičak again held everything in his hands. He led 2-0 and 4-1 and firmly held his service until the end and a great victory. Both players made two breaks each, with Zheng having two break chances and Poljičak eight. The Croatian junior had a first-serve percentage of 80 percent and won six points more than his opponent (88-82).

Poljičak thus became the first Croatian tennis player to win the Wimbledon Juniors tournament. Croatian tennis has had two finalists so far, but both lost in the final - Ivan Ljubičić (1996 to Vladimir Volčkov) and Mario Ančić (2000 to Nicolas Mahut).

Poljičak also won the junior doubles tournament at Roland Garros this year with Lithuanian partner Edes Butvilas.

Source: HRT

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July 9, 2022 - Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić were unable to defend their Wimbledon doubles title after a super tie break in the 5th set decided the match. 

Croatia's best doubles team Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić fought to defend their title at Wimbledon today against Australian duo Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.

Both sides had a difficult journey to the final, and in the semi-final matches, they saved at least one match point. Mektić and Pavić came back twice after a set behind, while Ebden and Purcell managed to come back from 2-0 in sets and save five match points.

This was the first test between these two doubles teams. Mektić and Pavić entered as the second seed of Wimbledon.

The Australian pair were the 14th seed of the tournament and lifted their only trophy together in Houston this year. However, they played in the final of the Australian Open and came back from 2-0 in sets twice at this Grand Slam tournament, so they were by no means harmless.

The first set went to a tie-break at 6-6 and ultimately to the Australian side for 1-0. The Croatian side had three unused break points. 

Mektić and Pavić saved two break points for a 1-0 lead at the start of the second set. After another great fight and another tie break, Mektić and Pavič equalized in sets (1-1).  

Mektić and Pavić entered the third set with a 2-0 advantage. The Croatian duo kept their advantage and decided the set in the tenth game. At first, they failed to take advantage of three set points, the Australians turned it in their favor and got a chance to break, but Mektić and Pavić regained the advantage and used the fifth set point to lead 2-1 in sets. 

The fourth set went 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3 to keep it tight as ever. But the Australian side ultimately made it 6-4 to take it to the fifth set. 

And what a fifth set it was. It was 1-1 to start, then Mektić and Pavić led 3-2, and then 4-2 before the Aussie side tied at 4-4 then 5-5 and 6-6! 

A super tie break ultimately decided the winner, with Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell taking the final set 7-6 (10-2) for the Wimbledon doubles title. 

Mektić and Pavić have won four titles this year, and have a total of 13 titles together. 

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July 8, 2022 - Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić are in the Wimbledon doubles final - again! 

Croatia doubles team Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić will defend their Wimbledon title in the doubles competition after defeating Colombians Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the semi-final of the third tennis Grand Slam tournament of the season. Mektić and Pavić won 6:7 (2), 7:6 (0), 4: 6, 6:2, 7:6 (10:4) after four hours and 22 minutes of play.

Mektić and Pavić thus achieved their 11th consecutive victory at Wimbledon and are now just one step away from defending the title.

Croatian pride and intensity ?? ?

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic have secured their spot in the gentlemen’s doubles final after a thrilling five set match, 6-7(2), 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4)#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/XKEkXA4WKv

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2022

In the second semi-final, Australians Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell also defeated Briton Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram 3.6, 6:7 (1), 7:6 (9), 6:4, 6:2 after a five-set drama. Interestingly, Ram and Salisbury had five match points in the third set, but they did not use them, and later they lost the match.

Colombians Cabal and Farah won Wimbledon in 2019, during 2020 there was no play on the London grass due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Mektić and Pavić celebrated last year at the All England Club. The last to defend the title in the doubles competition was Canadian Daniel Nestor and Serbian Nenad Zimonjić in 2008 and 2009.

The semi-final match was fantastic and full of twists and turns, but with many interesting points. It was an unusual match in which Pavić injured his right hand, Mektić was hit on the lip with a racket, and after the third set there was a break to close the roof, but the mechanism got stuck, and everything was prolonged.

It started great for the Croatian side. Already in the first game, they took away the service from their opponents, but the Colombians immediately retaliated by tying the game at 1:1. By the end of the set, there were no more service breaks, so the thirteenth game was decisive. Farah and Cabal led 2:0, then 4:1 and 5:2 after which the set went to their side.

During the tie-break, Pavić slipped and fell on his hand and sought medical help. Despite the pain, he continued the match, and later he almost did not use his right hand at all except to throw on the serve.

In the second set, both sides held their serves, so the decision again fell in the tie-break, which Pavić and Mektic played perfectly, without losing a point (7:0).

A new accident for the Croatian side happened in the third set at 4:3 for the Colombians. Pavić ran into Mektić with a racket and tore his lip. After finishing the game, Mektić used his mobile phone to check the condition of his teeth and lip, and then took a selfie with Pavić to the delight of the audience. Unfortunately, that set went to the Colombian side at 6:4 with a break in the last game.

After the third set, the organizers decided to close the roof, but the mechanism got stuck, and everything took longer than expected. However, the break was obviously good for the Olympic gold medalists because Pavić and Mektic quickly brought the set to an end (6:2) with two breaks, tying the match at 2:2. 

In the decisive, fifth set, both sides firmly held their serves until the score was 5:4 when the Colombians reached the match point on Mektić's serve. Fortunately, the Croatian side pulled through and took the match to a super tie-break in which the Croatian duo won seven of the next eight points after 3:3.

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July 2, 2022 - Petra Martić was brilliant against the 8th-seed of the tournament to book a spot in the Wimbledon round of 16!

Croatia's best female tennis player Petra Martić (WTA - 80) continues with excellent form at the All England Club and has qualified for the Wimbledon round of 16 after defeating the 8th-seeded American Jessica Pegula (WTA - 9th) 6:2, 7:6 (5) in less than an hour and a half of play.

Martić played brilliantly against Pegula to win her third match at this year's Wimbledon without losing a set, reports HRT.

Martić played a set and a half almost without a mistake. During that time, she easily won the first set 6:2, while in the second, with a break advantage, she led 3:1.

However, Pegula came back from the middle of the second set, making it a quality and even fight. Pegula returned the break and had one set point on Martić's serve with a 5:4 lead.

Martić made it to the tie-break in which she led 5:2. The American tennis player gathered her strength and equalized at 5:5, but then Martić made it 6:5 with a good second serve, while Pegula made a mistake on the match point at the net for Martić to celebrate.

In the round of 16, Martić will play against Kazakhstani tennis player Jelena Ribakina, the 17th-seed of the tournament, who won against Chinese tennis player Qinwen Zheng 7:6 (4), 7:5 in the third round.

Martić reached the second week of Wimbledon for the third time in her career. She played in the round of 16 in 2017 and 2019.

"This victory means a lot to me, and I still have enough energy to go on. Pegula is a great tennis player, she has been proving how good she is for a long time, and I know that grass suits her. So I'm going to move on, match by match," said Martić immediately after celebrating against the American.

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June 30, 2022 - Petra Martić has booked the 3rd round of Wimbledon for the fourth time in her career, defeating Kristina Kučová on Thursday. 

Croatia's best female tennis player Petra Martić (WTA - 80) advanced to the 3rd round of Wimbledon for the fourth time in her career, defeating Slovak Kristina Kučová (WTA - 91) 7-6 (4), 6-3 after one hour and 42 minutes, reports Gol.hr. 

For a spot in the round of 16, the 31-year-old will play against the 8th seed American Jessica Pegula (WTA - 9), who defeated Harriet Dart (WTA - 94) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. In the first round, she was better than Donna Vekić in two sets.

Martić and Pegula will be scheduled for Saturday, and it will be their sixth mutual match. In the previous five, Martić achieved four victories, two of which were on hard courts and two on clay.

In the duel against 32-year-old Kučová, Martić showed a great deal of patience, and in the key moments of the match, Kučová's mistakes came in handy.

Martić took a 3-1 lead in the first set, but lost the advantage she gained already in the next game. Along the way, she spent all three challenges checking the decisions of the referees. That, in the end, didn't cost her.

The first set went to a tie-break in which the first six points were won by the tennis players on the serve. Martić came to the first advantage and took a 5-3 lead. She lost the next point and earned two set points with an excellent defense. She only needed one, as Kučová finished the set with her sixth double fault.

Such an outcome did not affect the fighting spirit of the Slovak player, who won the first two games in the second set. However, in the next four games, Martić left only three points to her rival and thus came to a key advantage.

When Kučová served at 3-5 to extend the match, Martić reached the match point at 30-40. She decided to wait for her opponent's mistake. Two points later, the scenario was the same, but with a different ending - Kučová sent the ball into the net and ended the duel with 30 unforced errors.

Martić had two unforced errors less (28) but had a big advantage in direct points (33-20). Petra scored 10 aces, with three double faults, and had an excellent first-serve percentage of 85%. She took advantage of three of the six break points.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 28, 2022 - Marin Čilić has tested positive for Covid-19, meaning he too will miss this year's Wimbledon after Borna Ćorić pulled out from the tournament a few days ago. 

Croatia's best tennis player Marin Čilić canceled his performance at this year's Wimbledon, which started on Monday, due to coronavirus. Čilić posted on Instagram with the bad news and expressed great sadness that he had to end the season on grass in this way. 

"Hey guys, I am sad to share that I tested positive for COVID. I have been self-isolating and was hopeful I would be ready but unfortunately I am still feeling unwell & unable to compete at my best. I am heartbroken to be missing @Wimbledon & to see my grass season end this way. Looking forward to competing again next year!"

Marin Čilić was the only Croatian representative in the men's senior singles competition. He was the 14th-seed and in the 1st round, he was meant to play against American Mackenzie McDonald. McDonald will move on without a fight.

Čilić was one of the favorites to go far at Wimbledon this year. The Croat has already played in the Wimbledon final, and at the recent Roland Garros, he reached the semifinals and was said to be in his best form. 

Recall, Borna Ćorić will also miss this year's Wimbledon, where the draw in the first round awarded him the 15th tennis player in the world, Argentine Diego Schwartzman. Ćorić cited a shoulder injury as the reason for this decision. Ćorić will be replaced by the "lucky loser" from the qualifications in the main draw.

The Croatia national team player took a break for a year due to a shoulder injury that needed surgery. However, as points for the ATP rankings cannot be won at this year's Wimbledon, it is not worth the risk for Ćorić to expose his still not fully recovered shoulder to the efforts of playing three sets because his main mission now is to improve his ranking.

Ćorić currently ranks 203rd in the singles ATP rankings, and he pointed out a spot among the 100 best in the world as his goal, which would guarantee him direct entry into the main draw at the biggest tournaments in the world. 

The organizers of the Umag Blue Lagoon Croatia Open gave Ćorić an invitation so that he would not have to spend the quota of the remaining tournaments in which he could play with a protected ranking, and he could have his next performance in Umag. The Umag ATP tournament is scheduled for July 25-31.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 27, 2022 - Borna Ćorić will miss this year's Wimbledon tournament due to a shoulder injury. The Croatian tennis player was meant to face Diego Schwartzman in the first round. 

Croatian tennis player Borna Ćorić will miss this year's Wimbledon, where the draw in the first round awarded him the 15th tennis player in the world, Argentine Diego Schwartzman. Ćorić, however, has cited a shoulder injury as the reason for this decision, reports Gol.hr. 

Ćorić will be replaced by the "lucky loser" from the qualifications in the main draw.

Thus,  the only Croatian representative in the Wimbledon singles tennis competition will be Marin Čilić, who is set as the 14th seed in the tournament. On Tuesday, he will face American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round.

At a press conference in Zagreb, Borna Ćorić indirectly announced the possibility of withdrawing from Wimbledon, given that he played five matches in six days last week and won the ATP Challenger in Italy on clay.

The Croatia national team player took a break for a year due to a shoulder injury that needed surgery. However, as points for the ATP rankings cannot be won at this year's Wimbledon, it is not worth the risk for Ćorić to expose his still not fully recovered shoulder to the efforts of playing three sets because his main mission now is to improve his ranking.

Ćorić currently ranks 203rd in the singles ATP rankings, and he pointed out a spot among the 100 best in the world as his goal, which would guarantee him a direct entry into the main draw at the biggest tournaments in the world. 

The organizers of the Umag Blue Lagoon Croatia Open gave Ćorić an invitation so that he would not have to spend the quota of the remaining tournaments in which he could play with a protected ranking, and he could have his next performance in Umag.

The Umag ATP tournament is scheduled for July 25-31.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 25, 2022 - The Wimbledon draw was held on Friday, revealing the first-round meetings for Croatian tennis players. 

Croatian tennis player Jana Fett, who made it through the qualifications to the main Wimbledon tournament, will play in the first round against the world's No. 1 tennis player, Iga Swiatek from Poland. 

Donna Vekić also got a tough opponent and will play against the eighth-seed American Jessica Pegula. It will be the first time they play each other. 

Petra Martić also drew an American as her opponent in the first round - the 37th tennis player in the world, Shelby Rogers. Martić achieved her two best results at Wimbledon in 2017 and 2019, when she reached the fourth round.

The best Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić will play against the 52nd player in the world, American Mackenzie McDonald, in the first round. Čilić and McDonald have played only once, and Marin celebrated at the 2019 Australian Open.

Borna Ćorić will play against the 12th seed Argentine Diego Schwartzman. It will be their fifth duel, and so far, they are 2-2 head-to-head. 

Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić will open the doubles tournament against Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Benoit Paire, while Ivan Dodig and partner Austin Krajicek will face Steve Johnson and Samuel Querrey. 

Wimbledon title defender Novak Djokovic will start the campaign for his 21st Grand Slam title against South Korean Kwon Soon-woo in the first round, while second seed Rafael Nadal plays against Argentine Francisco Cerundol, the 42nd player in the world.

The young Spanish rising star and fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz will face German Jan-Lennard Struff at the start.

Looking further into the draw, Djokovic and Alcaraz, and Nadal and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime could meet in the quarterfinals if they are successful until then. 

Serena Williams, who has not played a single match for a year due to injury, will begin the hunt for her 24th Grand Slam title against French tennis player Harmony Tan, 113th on the WTA list. If she wins, she will face Sara Sorribes Tormo and last year's finalist Karolina Pliškova in the third round. 

You can read more here. 

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June 19, 2022 - After a big drama, the Croatians and the world's best tennis couple Mate Pavić and Nikola Mektić celebrated winning the Queen's Club, beating the British Lloyd Glasspool and Finn Harri Heliovaaru in the final.

It started badly for Pavić and Mektić, as they lost 3: 0 right at the start and the first set went to Glasspool and Heliovaara 6: 3, reports tportal.hr.

But after the Croatian tennis players lost the first set, they won the second set in the 'tie-break' 7: 6 (3), and the decision on the winner fell in the extended period, called 'super tie-break'. Pavić and Mektić did not allow any surprises and in the end, they celebrated 10: 6, thus winning the third title this year after Rome and Geneva.

It was also the 12th joint title for Mektic and Pavic, and their 15th victory in the last 16 matches. This is great preparation for Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the season where they will be defending the title. Before Wimbledon, they will play in the ATP tournament in Eastbourne next week, where they have the status of the first holders.

2021 was an absolutely incredible year for Croatian tennis, due mainly to the success of the doubles team Mate Pavić and Nikola Mektić. Not only did these two win Wimbledon before celebrating in the historic all-Croatian doubles final at the Tokyo Olympics, but they finished the year as the best doubles team in the world!

Let us remind you that Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić won last year's Wimbledon after they defeated Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Argentine Horace Zeballos in the final 6-4, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5 after two hours and 43 minutes of play.

In a year full of success, the 32-year-old from Zagreb and the 28-year-old from Split won nine titles, including the Wimbledon trophy and a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

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July 9, 2021- Goran Ivanišević wins Wimbledon on this day 20 years ago! 

July 9, 2001, is one of the biggest days in Croatian sports history. One that most Croats will remember for the rest of their lives. 

Until that July 9, 2001, when he used his fourth match point for the final 9:7, Goran played the final match of the cult London tournament three times, and left the Central Court in disappointment every time: in 1992, he lost to Agassi, and in 1994 and 1998 to Pete Sampras. Few expected anything from a player who arrived at the tournament by invitation, was the 125th player in the world, and at the end of his career.

According to his position in the ATP rankings, he did not even deserve to play in the main part of the tournament without passing the qualifications. Still, because of the good old days and everything he gave to Wimbledon, he received an invitation. 

Although no one believed in Goran, a miracle happened, probably the greatest in the entire history of the sport.

Through the Swede Jonsson, Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick, and Greg Rusedski, he reached the quarterfinals where he defeated Marat Safin, while his opponent in the semifinals, Tim Henman, defeated Roger Federer, who made a sensation earlier by beating Sampras. Second seed Andre Agassi fell in the second semi-final to Patrick Rafter, and Goran had to play for the final in a hostile atmosphere in front of an audience that had been waiting for decades for the Briton to lift the Wimbledon trophy.

After a three-day fight and five sets, Ivanišević won his fourth chance against the Australian who was preparing for his second consecutive final.

They played a memorable match with a never-before-seen atmosphere. John McEnroe said after the match that it was the best final he had ever watched. Rafter was more agile, but Goran was more powerful, and they both fought for every point. Ivanišević was finally at 8:7 to win and end a decade of frustration and pain. After two double faults and an excellent reaction from his opponent in the third match point, Ivanišević served for the fourth time, and Rafter hit the net.

After three hours of tense fighting, tears of joy streamed down Goran's face. It was a drama that had everything, a boy's dream come true, three defeats in the finals, a great success at the very end of his career, entering the final by invitation despite all expectations, a five-set match and, to make the drama even bigger, two double faults on the match point.

On July 10, 2001, over 100,000 fans welcomed him in Split. 

“Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic received a hero's welcome when he returned to Croatia on Tuesday. More than 100,000 people in Ivanisevic's hometown of Split flocked to the city's main waterfront to celebrate his remarkable five-set win over Australian Pat Rafter in Monday's final. Ivanisevic flew into his hometown of Split at around 1800BST in a private plane provided by Slavica Ecclestone, the Croatian wife of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone. He then boarded a ship that took him to his final destination in the harbour, where prominent athletes and celebrities greeted him for a party to be capped by a firework display. However, the champion is definitely in need of some sleep in order to find out if he is still dreaming,” wrote the BBC on July 10, 2001. 

Source: Dalmacija Danas

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