PETE ZIEBRON
Novak Djokovic won 2 matches in the 2010 Davis Cup Final. Charles Gabrean Photography
Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki each won their respective matches convincingly over Fenchmen Gael Monfils and Michael Llodra to give Serbia its first Davis Cup Championship today. Playing in front of a home crowd in Belgrade, the Serbs overwhelmed France, winning both contests today by a combined score of 6 sets to 0 and 36 games to 15.
On Friday afternoon, Monfils staked France to a 1-0 lead with a straight set victory over Janko Tipsarevic and then Djokovic leveled the Final with a straight set win over Gilles Simon. Yesterday, the French stunned the hosts with a 5-set doubles victory as Arnaud Clement and Llodra teamed to outlast Ninad Zimonjic and Troicki in a match that lasted more than 4 hours. At this point, Serbia may have been questioned for not installing world #3 Novak Djokovic to play doubles with Zimonjic, the world #1 doubles specialist.
This August in Cincinnati, I asked Djokovic if playing doubles with Rafael Nadal the week before in Toronto was in fact preparation for the possibility of playing doubles in the Davis Cup. Djokovic explained: "In some way helps as well, helps me get more practice for doubles because, you know, you never know. You might play doubles match as well in Davis Cup, which is very important. I haven't played doubles in Davis Cup for really two, two and a half years. The good thing about our team is that we have good group of players that are able to play with each other. We have Zimonjic who is No. 1 of the world obviously, and he can play with any of us."
Despite Serbia falling short in doubles yesterday, Djokovic leveled the tie at 2-2 with a dominating performance over Monfils 62 62 64 to open play on Sunday. The stage was set for a 5th and deciding match between Belgrade native Viktor Troicki and Michael Llodra. Troicki stormed to a 2 set lead and dropping only 4 games in the process, would avoid potential drama in the middle of the 3rd set and close out the match winning the final set 63.
Following the match, Troicki shared: "This is the most pressure ever in my life. To win it in front of the home crowd is the best. I don't have words. It's unbelievable."
Serbian Davis Cup hero Viktor Troicki. Pete Ziebron Images