The roar of the Lion
An exciting match has brought The Netherlands back in the game against Croatia. With 7-6, 6-1 and 6-4 Haase (70) defeated the Croatian super talent Borna Coric (176). Not an easy achievement on the slow clay court in Ziggo Dome. The seventeen years old Borna, former Junior number one has earlier won this year of Roger-Vasselin (54), Zeballos (voormalig 39) and the Pole Janowicz (41). “It was not easy to win this match! Actually, I was quite impressed by the way Borna played. He served very well, stayed calm and played mentally strong. Especially the first set was tough, in which he got three set points and which I finally won with 7-4 in the tiebreak,” Haase looks back on the match. The flow of the extrovert Dutch man continued in the second set and in the third set he got an early break up. Coric on the other hand kept on fighting hitting a forehand winner at one match point down in the third set. Still, Haase took his chance on his second match point, closing the match with a giant roar. If Haase felt obliged to win this match? “It was not a ‘must-win’, for that the tennis players in general are all to good. And Borna played very good from the first point on. But of course I was hoping to win this match.” With his victory The Netherlands and Croatia go on in their neck-to-neck race with a interim score of 1-1. Earlier today Igor Sijsling lost surprisingly of Mate Delic with 6-4 4-6 5-7 and 2-6. “It was empty, there was no energy left,” tells captain Siemerink. “Tension before a match is normal, but that it hit Igor physically this strong was not easy to see.” Robin tells us that winning of Croatia the next two days won’t be easy. “We could have been up with a 2-0 lead, but we didn’t. Now we have to win two more matches. It won’t be easy, especially if Cilic is going to play.” Though, nothing is impossible of course! Let’s see what the doubles will bring tomorrow.
For personal reactions from Sijsling and winner Delic, click here!
UPDATE: The Croatian couple Marin Cilic and doubles specialist Marin Draganja (35) turned out to be to good for Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer. The Netherlands lost this match with 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6. The Dutch team will take up the challenge on Sunday to fight its way back from 1-2 behind. Matches of the day? Robin Haase versus Mate Delic. If Haase is able to win this match, it will be all about the fifth battle on court. The Croatian captain Krajan will for certain use his team weapen Marin Cilic. If Siemerink in that case will choose for Thiemo de Bakker or Igor Sijlsing to take up the challenge will be decided after the match of Haase versus Delic.
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