Croatia’s Borna Coric battled previous Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi 6-1 6-4 on Sunday to seal a 2-0 victory within the Hopman Cup remaining that earned his nation solely its second title within the mixed-gender group competitors.
Coric’s victory adopted Donna Vekic’s snug 6-3 6-4 win over Celine Naef and means Croatia turned the primary group to elevate the trophy following the match’s return to the tennis calendar after a four-year absence.
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Switzerland is among the many most profitable international locations within the occasion – which started in 1989 and was named after Australian nice Harry Hopman – having gained 4 titles together with the 2019 crown on the again of the now-retired Roger Federer’s heroics.
With out the seasoned Belinda Bencic on account of withdrawal, the younger Swiss group scored victories over Denmark and France to high Group A this 12 months however ran out of steam towards Croatia within the title conflict on the claycourts of Good.
World quantity 15 Coric raced by way of the opening set in 31 minutes and recovered from an early lack of serve within the subsequent to shut out the win and break Swiss hearts.
Earlier, Vekic exchanged breaks with Naef early within the first set of the opening match of the tie, earlier than the extra skilled world quantity 22 pounced on her Swiss opponent’s serve within the eighth recreation en path to wrapping up the set.
Vekic confirmed loads of endurance and ability within the second set to stave off a comeback try by Naef, who slipped and took a tumble late within the contest earlier than crashing to her third defeat in as many singles matches within the match.
Croatia beforehand gained the title in 1996 when it beat the identical opponents within the remaining in Perth on a hardcourt, with Goran Ivanisevic and Iva Majoli the architects of that triumph.