H2H: India 1-0 Croatia, a look back at the only India-Croatia Davis Cup meet before Qualifiers begin

By Saurabh Singh

India is all set to lock horns with the number one seeded team Croatia in the 2020 Davis Cup by Rakuten Qualifiers from 6^th to 7^th March at Dom Sportova in Zagreb, Croatia. This week, 24 teams including Croatia and India are pitted against each other in a bid to earn 12 spots for the Davis Cup Finals to be held later this year in November. The losing 12 teams in the qualifiers will be placed in World Group I.

The Indian team is matched up against the Croats who are currently ranked second in the Davis Cup Nations Ranking in the world while India lies at the 22^nd spot.

However, India enjoys a 1-0 head-to-head record against the two-time champions, Croatia. In their only meeting ever before this year’s Qualifiers tie, India had beaten Croatia 3:2 at World Group Qualifying 1^st Round held at New Delhi in September, 1995. 

Interestingly, it was India’s legend and Davis Cup superstar Leander Paes who was the chief architect of that famous win with Paes winning both his singles rubber and partnering Mahesh Bhupathi, he won the doubles rubber too for India.  

Rubber 1: L Paes bt. S Hirszon 6-3, 6-3, 6-4

Rubber 2: G Ivanisevic bt. M Bhupathi 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

Rubber 3: M Bhupathi/L Paes bt. S Hirszon/G Ivanisevic 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6

Rubber 4: L Paes bt. G Ivanisevic 6-7, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1

Rubber 5: S Hirszon bt. M Bhupathi 7-6, 3-6, 6-4