France win doubles for 1-2 in Davis Cup

Day Two of the Davis Cup Final in Lille, France

France (1) v Croatia (4)

Rubber Three

Pierre-Hugues Herbert / Nicolas Mahut (France) v 

Ivan Dodig / Mate Pavic (Croatia)

French hopes of retaining the Davis Cup were rather lean after the first day, needing to win both the doubles and each of the reverse singles rubbers.  This hadn’t been done since Australia defeated the USA in 1939.

The team of Herbert and Mahut, previously world number one in doubles, and three times Grand Slam title winners, shared the first six games with the Croatian pair in set one.

Dodig, on a third game point in the seventh game, saw his serve passed first by Herbert.  Mahut repeated the dose to bring up break point.

Herbert, with all four players at the net, punched a backhand at the feet of Pavic, and the French pair achieved the break, leading 4-3.

The set was accordingly won 6-4.

Dodig again was suspect on serve in set two, after things were even for eight games.  A double fault put the Croatian team behind 15-30 and at 15-40 another double fault donated a service break to France.

Mahut served out for 6-4 and a two set lead.

All appeared lost when Croatia was broken in the opening game of set three, and had to save four break points at 0-2.

However, they did escape from the third game, and later broke the serve of Herbert for 3-3.

Mahut dropped serve in the eighth game and Pavic served out the set 6-3, with the fifth successive game for Croatia.

In a tense fourth set, the French team fought off three break points in a lengthy first game to hold serve.  Each team then held serve without facing a break point until the tenth game where a Mahut return and a Herbert forehand, were compounded by a Pavic double fault to achieve triple break point.

Four serves, plus a drop volley, saved Pavic and it was 5-5.

A tie break eventuated.  

A Herbert forehand against serve set the early pace and it was all France from there, converting the first match point to win 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6(3)

Herbert and Mahut hit 41 forehand winners between them, and saved seven of nine break points for the match.

After Day Two 

France 1 Croatia 2