By Sean Rudolph
© Davis Cup Twitpic

(December 5, 2010) Viktor Troicki leaned into the ball, blistered a backhand pass crosscourt that eluded a lunging Michael Llodra, then embraced a swarming sea of Serbian teammates in an explosion of celebratory emotion. Producing some of the best tennis of his career beneath immense pressure, Troicki dismissed Llodra, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, in the decisive singles match to clinch Serbia's first Davis Cup championship with a 3-2 conquest of France before the frenzied Belgrade faithful.

For the second straight tie, Serbia fought back from ledge of loss in sweeping both reverse singles matchs in straight sets to rally from a 1-2 deficit after Saturday's doubles loss.

Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic substituted Troicki for opening-day singles starter Janko Tipsarevic and the 24-year-old Belgrade native rose to the occasion in playing with supreme confidence against the flat Frenchman.

Competing with an unwavering sense of belief, Troicki produced a victory he called "unbelievable."

"I’m under shock; after the  last shot I couldn’t believe it happened," Troicki said. "This was the most intense pressur ever in my life and to win it in front of the home crowd, I think, is the best possible way. I don’t have any words. Seriously, it’s unbelievable. I’m without the words. It’s unbelievable."

Playing with his country's Davis Cup hopes and dreams on his back, Novak Djokovic delivered a dominating performance in routing France's Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 to tie the final at 2-2.

The fate of the 2010 championship rested on the racquets of  Troicki and France's Michael Llodra, just underway as this article was posted at 10:30 a.m. in New York, with Tipsarevic holding an early 4-1 lead