Dominik Hrbaty came to Slovakia's rescue with a stunning defeat of Croatia's Mario Ancic on Friday, just when it looked like his country's quest for a first Davis Cup crown was fizzling out.
The Slovakian number one levelled the best-of-five tie at 1-1 with a 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 defeat of the towering 21-year-old to guarantee an exciting weekend of tennis in the compact Sibamac Arena in Bratislava.
The day had begun miserably for the hosts when number two player Karol Beck was ruled out with a knee injury less that three hours before the start. His stand-in Karol Kucera was then overpowered and outclassed by Ivan Ljubicic.
Ljubicic's 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory made him the first player to win 10 consecutive live rubbers in a Davis Cup season since World Group play started in 1981.
The 26-year-old is now just two wins short of equalling John McEnroe's 1982 Davis Cup record of 12-0, although three of the American's victories were in dead rubbers.
"Honestly, I am not thinking about breaking any records," he told reporters. "Although I'm really glad that I broke today 10 live rubbers. That's better than 12 in a row."
Beck's withdrawal was a huge blow to the hopes of Miloslav Mecir's team. His replacement, former world number six Kucera, has slumped to 297 in the world rankings, winning just three matches on the main tour this year.
With Kucera facing a near-impossible task against Ljubicic, Hrbaty's match against Ancic was vital if Slovakia were not going to head into the weekend 2-0 down.
He responded in style.
Neither player offered up a break point in the first set but it was Hrbaty who found inspiration in the tiebreak, winning a long baseline exchange at 4-2, then pummelling an ace to carve out four set points.
The world number 19 moved up a gear in the second set, breaking serve for the first time in the seventh game when Ancic shunted a backhand into the net.
Croatia are also appearing in their first final and the occasion appeared to get to Ancic, the 21-year-old gifting Hrbaty the second set with a double fault.
Ancic dug deep to force the third set into a tiebreak and this time it was Hrbaty who wavered, a backhand error and a double fault allowing his opponent to take it to a fourth.
With the 4,000 capacity crowd cranking up the volume to deafening levels, Hrbaty regained control when he broke Ancic at 2-2 courtesy of a sizzling forehand winner.
This time he made no mistake, closing out the match in three hours 13 minutes.
"It was very difficult. I don't really like this kind of game when it's all about serving," said Hrbaty, who has been the mainstay of Slovakia's run to the final. "I think I served perfectly today."
VITAL DOUBLES
Ljubicic also benefited from some ferocious serving on the medium-paced indoor surface, giving Kucera precious little chance to make any impression.
Every thumping winner was met with huge roars from the Croatian fans, for whom Ljubicic has become a hero on a similar level to former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic who yelled out encouragement from courtside.
Ljubicic put Kucera out of his misery with a flashing crosscourt winner to end a one-sided contest one minute short of two hours.
"I was very, very careful out there. Kucera was once number six in the world and knows how to play at a very high level," said world number nine Ljubicic.
Kucera, Slovakia's most successful Davis Cup player, said there was nothing more he could have done.
"I gave it everything I could but he gave me no chance with his service. I only got one break point in the whole match," said the 31-year-old, who is expected to announce his retirement before the end of the year.
Ljubicic will partner Ancic in Saturday's doubles, almost certainly against Hrbaty and Michal Mertinak. Both captains know how important that point could prove.
"When it's the end of the first day and it's 1-1, the doubles becomes incredibly important. A win gives you wings as you head into the final day," said Croatia Niki Pilic.
"Doubles can be tricky, it will be a very, very important point," added Mecir.
Whoever wins the final will become only the 12th nation to have their name engraved on the famous trophy in its more than 100-year history. They would also become the fifth different winner in the last five years.
