Davis Cup update – Japan v. Croatia 1st Round

Written by: Staff on 8th February 2012

Davis Cup update - Japan v. Croatia 1st Round

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia serves to Switzerland's Roger Federer during his third round match against at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2012. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

JAPAN v CROATIA – Hyogo, JPN – hard (indoors)

Head-to-head: first meeting

JAPAN v CROATIA

17 Current DC Nations Ranking 7

Runner-up 1921 Best Result Champion 2005

1921 First Year Played 1993

78 Years Played (inc 2012) 20

3 Years in World Group (inc 2012) 11

176 Ties Played 42

99-77 Ties Win-Loss 25-17

1 Comebacks from 0-2 down 0

• CROATIA are making their 11th World Group appearance.

• Last year, Croatia failed to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 3 years. They lost to Germany 3-2 in the first round in Zagreb. Ivo Karlovic broke the record for the fastest serve by hitting a 251kmph (156mph) serve in the 4th set of the doubles rubber. Croatia defeated South Africa 4-1 in the World Group play-offs to maintain their place in the top tier.

• Croatia have not lost a tie away from home since losing to Great Britain in London in 2007. This is just their 2nd away tie since that loss, having played 8 consecutive home ties until the 2011 World Group play-offs. If Croatia win this weekend, it will have an away tie in the quarterfinals against either Germany or Argentina.

• In 2005, Croatia became the 12th nation to win Davis Cup, defeating Slovak Republic 3-2 (Mario Ancic winning the deciding rubber) in the final in Bratislava. It was also the first time that an unseeded nation had won the Davis Cup since the introduction of the World Group in 1981 (Serbia became the 2nd unseeded winner in 2010).

• Croatia is one of 5 nations to rank No. 1 since the rankings were introduced in 2001 (alongside Australia, France, Russia and Spain). Croatia was ranked No. 1 between November 2005 and September 2006.

• JAPAN are making their first appearance in the World Group since 1985. This is just the 3rd time that Japan has competed in the World Group.

• Japan is bidding to reach the World Group quarterfinals for the first time. In their 2 previous World Group appearances Japan has failed to win a rubber, losing 5-0 to Sweden in 1981 and 5-0 to USA in 1985.

• Last year, Japan came through Asia/Oceania Zone Group I before defeating India 4-1 in a World Group play-off tie in Tokyo to earn promotion to the World Group.

• Japan are on a 4-tie winning streak at home. The last time they lost a Davis Cup tie at home was against Romania in a World Group play-off in 2007.

• Japan are the lowest-ranked team in the World Group. They go into this weekend’s tie ranked No. 17 on the ITF Davis Cup Nations Ranking.

• If Japan win this weekend, they will have an away quarterfinal against the winner of Germany v Argentina.