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Hey, Tennis Pro! It's thirsty Thursday!

Cilic dominates the Locals. Perhaps on paper and considering the home advantage, Spain seemed to be the winning alternative in the matchup against Croatia. However, the home team was outclassed in two singles matches as Borna Coric and Marin Cilic dragged their team on to the next stage.

The first match was won by Coric against Bautista Agut, in which he brought out an effective serve that secured him 12 aces during the match. The head to head ended in two sets in which the second was resolved in a tie-break.

For his part, it took Cilic a little more work to get past reigning Western & Southern Open Champion, Pablo Carreno Busta. In a match that lasted more than three hours at the Martin Carpena Sports Palace, Marin Cilic followed up on the pattern set by his compatriot and packed Carreño Busta with a relentless serve.

Cilic hit almost three times as many aces as his opponent.

The match was defined in a tie-break that left the Spanish hope of extending the tennis day to a doubles match in failure. Even if they had gone to the doubles match, the Spanish would probably have been outclassed once again by a Croatian team that already made an appearance as men's doubles finalists in the recent ATP Finals.

👑 Netherlands and Croatia are the Doubles Kings

Out of the two most productive nations this season titlewise, the Netherlands is already out of the contest thanks to the Australians. Meanwhile, Croatia has already advanced to the next stage, leaving the Spanish on the road.

The Men's Doubles ATP Finals runner-ups are part of the Croatian squad and all of this year's trophies support the might behind a delegation led by Wilmbledon's former champion, Marin Cilic.

Meanwhile, Canada's number of titles is sponsored individually by Felix Auger-Aliassime, who will face Germany tomorrow, which has none of its team members in the Top 50.

The United States doesn't look as strong as it has been in other seasons ahead of the Davis Cup, although it still has the momentum of players like Taylor Fritz, ATP Finals semifinalist, Frances Tiafoe who reached his first Masters 1000 final this year in Tokyo and Tommy Paul who surprised this season with a 3-2 record vs. Top 5.

And had it not been for the injured Carlos Alcaraz, Spain would be tied for first place with 5 additional titles contributed by the current World Number 1.

🇮🇹 Italy faces USA in tomorrow's quarter-finals

Italy has a tricky history in the Davis Cup. And tomorrow it's their turn to face the country with the most trophies in the history of the tournament.

The Italians, from coming as clear favorites with a team that boasted all its players within the range close to the ATP ranking Top 50, has been thinning down in the weeks heading to Malaga.

The first casualty was reported by Jannik Sinner just at the beginning of the month, whereas no more than two days ago Matteo Berrettini also withdrew from the Azzurri delegation due to a problem with his foot.

Italy contested three successive semi-finals between 1996 and 1998, and it took until 2014 to make its most recent appearance in the next-to-last stage. However, they found themselves outclassed once again by Roger-Federer-led Switzerland.

Although they have the weight of history in their favor, the Americans may share some of the frustration with the Italians, since their last relevant participation was 15 years ago, when in 2007 they lifted the Davis Cup under Andy Roddick's guidance.

The Italians and the Americans meet for the third year in a row in the Davis Cup Finals and we'll just have to see what weights the most, the excellent Italian season or the rising American stars.

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👋 So long, and thanks for all the tennis!

→ Bautista Agut's half-volley masterclass.

→ Rafa Nadal is coming back at full 100%.

→ Novak Djokovic: the man of many talents.

→ Climate activists handcuffed themselves in the Davis Cup main court.

→ Pablo Carreno Busta showing Alcaraz-level defence.