Davis Cup: Sock, Isner give US 2-0 lead over Croatia

Jack Sock and John Isner gave the United States a 2-0 lead over Croatia on Friday in the best-of-five Davis Cup quarterfinal at Portland, Ore.

Sock overcame a two-set deficit to beat Marin Cilic 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and the 6-foot-10 Isner topped Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the second match on the Tualatin Hills hard court.

The U.S. can wrap up the Davis Cup tie Saturday with a win in the doubles match between twins Bob and Mike Bryan and Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja. Two reverse singles matches are scheduled for Sunday.

The U.S-Croatia winner will advance to the semifinals, playing the Czech Republic-France winner in September. The United States is seeking it first semifinals appearance since 2012, Croatia since 2009.

The United States is 157-3 when leading 2-0 in Davis Cup competition. The last time the U.S. blew a 2-0 advantage was the 1994 semifinals against Sweden.

Sock, No. 26 in the world, gave the U.S. the lead, though he got off to a sluggish start, as Cilic won the first two sets. But the 23-year-old Sock, playing in his first career home Davis Cup tie, bounced back to tie the match at two sets each, then claimed the dramatic fifth set by breaking Cilic in the ninth game. Sock finished the 3-hour, 13-minute match when Cilic, No. 12 in the world, hit his final shot into the net.

Isner, dominating with his big serve that reached as high as 137 mph, had 23 aces to Coric's 3 in his three-set win. The 31-year-old Isner, No. 16 in the world and playing in his 20th career Davis Cup match, broke Coric once in each set.

The U.S. last hosted a Davis Cup match in 2014, when it lost in the first round to Britain in San Diego. This is the fourth time Portland has hosted a Davis Cup tie.

The United States is trying to break a nine-year Davis Cup title drought. The U.S. won in 2007 when it beat Russia 4-1 in Portland. Croatia claimed its only Davis Cup title in 2005.

The U.S. has won a Davis Cup-high 32 titles, but only one since 1995.

Top-seeded Johnson upset at Newport

Eighth-seeded Donald Young knew what to expect from a player he's often practiced against.

That made it easier pulling off the upset over top-seeded Steve Johnson.

Young beat fellow American Johnson in the quarterfinals of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, 6-2, 6-3.

"I played well. Stevie, we know each other well and we train a lot in the offseason and practice throughout the year, so there's no mysteries there," the 26-year-old Young said. "I know how to beat him. You're going to have to play well, so I knew exactly what I had to do, and fortunately I was able to do it."

Young saved all five break points in the match.

The 26-year-old Johnson connected on just 46 percent of his first serves. Johnson is ranked a career-best 25th this week.

Johnson, who will be representing the United States at the Rio Olympics next month, is glad to see a friend doing well.

"It's great. I'm happy for him. DY is a great friend of mine, so hopefully he can continue on," he said. "Of course there's pressure, but you guys put it on us more than we do, so I've got no issue with it."

Young entered the week ranked 61st.

In other quarterfinal play, second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia reached his third consecutive semifinals on Newport's grass courts, beating Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli 6-3, 6-4.

The 37-year-old Karlovic said the hot, humid day with an abundance of sunshine made it tough. He was glad his match didn't last long.

"It was real difficult. It was hot today," the 6-foot-11 Karlovic said. "Last month I was in Europe and England and it was cool and almost cold, and this week earlier was cool, so today was pretty difficult. I was struggling a little there, but I was lucky that it was all done in two sets. The way I was playing, I'm pretty happy with that."

Karlovic served 16 aces and won 84 percent of his first-serve points.

"It always helps when you can hit a lot of aces, because this is my best weapon and that's my game — to have a lot of quick points, not a lot of rallies," he said.

Karlovic lost in the final the last two years.

In another quarterfinal match, third-seeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg rallied past France's Adrian Mannarino, the No. 6 seed, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus advanced to the semifinals Thursday.

The semis will be played on center court after enshrinement ceremonies for the 2016 class into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Marat Safin and Justine Henin head this year's class.