Croatian Gold Guarantee: Cilic/Dodig Set Mektic/Pavic Final
Croatians Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig guaranteed themselves a medal on Thursday at the Tokyo Olympics as they defeated New Zealand duo Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final.
Cilic and Dodig dominated throughout as they fired 27 winners and won 84 per cent (27/32) of their first-service points to advance to the gold medal match in 77 minutes.
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The Croatians are competing in their second tour-level event of the season as a pair, having enjoyed a run to the semi-finals at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart in June. Cilic and Dodig also teamed at the 2012 London Olympics where they advanced to the quarter-finals.
In what was a strong day for Croatian tennis, countrymen Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic also advanced to the final. The top seeds moved past Americans Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 6-4 in 82 minutes.
Mektic and Pavic, who did not face a break point against Krajicek and Sandgren, have won eight tour-level titles together this season in their maiden year together. They became the first doubles team to qualify for the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals in July, having lifted trophies at three ATP Masters 1000s and Wimbledon.
Daniell and Venus will face Krajicek and Sandgren in the bronze medal match on Friday.