2 Responses to wtc91edberg_ivanisevic

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 2, 2023 at 2:18 am

   Points won by each set: | 32-28, 38-37 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Edberg – 16 of 68
   23 % Ivanisevic – 16 of 67

   # Cloudy and chilly day in Düßeldorf (World Team Cup), and the last team event in the Yugoslavian history. The second final between these two players, following Long Island ’90, but the first in a team competition. Edberg [1] was in a better situation because Sweden led 1:0 after Gustafsson’s win. From the beginning Ivanisevic [8] was nervous and playing poorly, apart from the backhand side (a few successful passing-shots using just one hand). Edberg led *4:1 in the 2nd set when Ivanisevic began to play his best tennis, won 13 out of 16 points to lead 5:4* (15/0), but much more experienced Edberg managed to win the last three games, saving a double break point in game no. 12 (he saved the second BP and converted his first MP with emphatic smashes).

   SWEDEN d. YUGOSLAVIA 2-1
   Magnus Gustafsson – Goran Prpic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
   Stefan Edberg – Goran Ivanisevic 6-4, 7-5
   Stefan Edberg/Magnus Gustafsson – Goran Ivanisevic/Goran Prpic 6-3, 3-6, 4-6

   Sweden’s route to the title: Argentina 2-1, Spain 3-0, Soviet Union 1-1; Yugoslavia 2-1

   

   From left: Jonas Svensson (didn’t play), Gustafsson (4.5 pts), Tony Pickard (captain), Edberg (3.5 pts)

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   December 2, 2023 at 2:45 am

   # Yugoslavia was a defending champion, in the years 1990-91 the team was comprised of a Serb (Slobodan Živojinović) and two Croats (Gorans: Ivanišević & Prpić). These three players also led Yugoslavia to the Davis Cup ’91 semifinal having defeated Sweden 4-1 (February) and Czechoslovakia 4-1 (March) – then broke out Croatian War of Independence were Croats and Serbs stood on the opposite sides. Despite that, two months later Živojinović went to Germany accompanied by two Croats. Due to escalating of the conflict (Battle of Vukovar), their sportive cooperation wasn’t possible anymore, and the Gorans refused to represent Yugoslavia in the Davis Cup semifinal (September), leaving Živojinović actually alone. He appeared in France along with a fellow Serb, Srđan Muškatirović [442], who never played an ATP match, and the Yugoslavs lost it 0-5 as expected. Yugoslavia won the Hopman Cup in 1991 (Goran Prpić played along with Monika Seleš, from Serbia – the best female player at the time).

   Croatia, as an independent country made its Davis Cup debut in May 1993, defeating Zimbabwe in Group I (both Gorans represented Croatia) while Serbs after a suspension (1992-94), continued to play under the Yugoslavian flag until 2004 when debuted as Serbia & Montenegro, later on these countries were separated which led to the creation of two new teams in 2007

   The World Team Cup ’91 also marked the last appearance of the Soviet Union in tennis competitions. The USSR dissolution took place at the end of 1991, the states (without three Baltic countries) were transformed into Commonwealth Independent States in the Davis Cup 1992, and into Russia the following year. Cherkasov, Chesnokov and Volkov played under three different names in those times. Ukraine made its Davis Cup debut in 1993, Poliakov represented both, the USSR and Ukraine. Georgia made its debut in 1994, Gabarchidze, the best Georgian then, had earlier represented the USSR.

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