Juan Martin Del Potro beats Ivo Karlovic as Argentina level Davis Cup final in Zagreb

Juan Martin del Potro kept his cool in the Arena Zagreb to complete a 6-4 6-7 6-3 7-5 victory over Ivo Karlovic in levelling the Davis Cup final at 1-1 in a match that ran for three hours and 15 minutes.

Marin Cilic had earlier overcame Federico Delbonis 6-3 7-5 3-6 1-6 6-2 after a titanic tussle in the opening singles rubber to give hosts Croatia a 1-0 lead.

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Argentine hero Del Potro did not face a break point against big-serving Karlovic in the day's other match at a packed arena, including several thousand passionate away fans led by the South American country's former World Cup winner Diego Maradona.

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Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, responded for the Argentineans by winning the second singles match despite some feverish support for the home side.

Saturday's action sees Ivan Dodig and Franko Skugor face Argentinean pair Leonardo Mayer and Guido Pella in the doubles - although that might be subject to change.

Del Potro unsure about doubles after exhausting Karlovic match

Neither Delbonis nor Del Potro were originally picked for Saturday's doubles but both teams' talismans are now likely to be called upon for a potentially pivotal contest in what is shaping up to be a knife-edge tie.

Croatia won the Davis Cup in 2005 while Argentina are aiming to improve on a record of four final defeats.

Cilic gave Croatia an ideal start as he rained down a barrage of aces and service winners in the opening set, having broken Delbonis in the fourth game to edge ahead.

Cilic, the world number six, broke again in the 11th game of the second set and held serve to take a commanding 2-0 lead before Delbonis hauled himself back into the match.

The 41st-ranked Argentine saved three break points in the seventh game of the third set and claimed it with a searing forehand winner.

Diego Armando Maradona

Image credit: Eurosport

He could not miss in the fourth, racing through the set with a barrage of spectacular shots against a subdued Cilic.

The resurgent Croatian found another gear in the fifth set, however, breaking Delbonis in the second game and again in the seventh before he closed out the match in three hours and 30 minutes.

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