DUSSELDORF, May 26: Davis Cup holders Croatia have the chance to win the US$2.36 million ATP World Team Championship for the first time in their history after reaching the final with a win over Chile on Friday.

Croatia face holders Germany in Saturday's final aiming to go one better than their previous final appearance in 1995 when they lost to Sweden.

Chile, who won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004, looked strong opposition for Croatia in the final blue group match but Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic powered their country to victory with the doubles to spare.

Ljubicic, ranked fourth in the world, faced off against Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in the first singles match and it was a tight affair.

Ljubicic took the first set 7-5, but Gonzalez levelled with a second set tie-break.

However the 26-year-old Croat always looked the stronger and won the decisive set 6-4.

Chile sent out Nicolas Massu, unbeaten in his two singles matches, for the next match but 21-year-old Croatian Ancic was in formidable form.

World No. 12 Ancic grabbed the first set 6-3 and clinched the match 6-2 in the second set to render the doubles rubber irrelevant.

davydenko rout novak

POERTSCHACH (Austria): Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia defeated Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-2 in Friday's semifinals of the Hypo Group tennis tournament.

Results

Semifinals: Andrei Pavel (Romania) beat 7-Luis Horna (Peru) WO;1-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-2.

ISTANBUL CUP RESULTS