"Way to go guys!! Let's go further" - Borna Coric delighted as Croatia advance to 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals

Borna Coric joined Croatian fans the world over to celebrate their team's entry into the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup.

Coric took to Instagram to share images of the historic night where goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic emerged as the hero for Croatia who got the better of Japan.

After regulation time and extra time ended in a 1-1 stalemate, Livakovic stood tall to guide his team to a 3-1 win on penalties. Coric lauded Livakovic, who saved three penalties, with an image of the jubilant Dinamo Zagreb shot-stopper captioned, "But this guy!!!"

Coric lauded Livakovic for his heroism against Japan

Borna Coric also shared a video of the ecstatic celebrations by the Croatian team after the match, urging them to go further.

"Way to go guys!! Let's go further," he wrote on Instagram.

"Come on Croatia" read the caption as the former World No. 12 posted an uplifting photograph of the jubilant players posing for photographs with their supporters waving the national flag in the stands.

Japan, who defeated European giants Spain and Germany in the group stages, looked on course for another upset in the Round of 16 as they took the lead thanks to a Daizen Maeda goal before half-time.

Not to be undone, Zlatko Dalic's team were back in the contest after a delightful header from Ivan Perisic found its way into the net in the 55th minute.

With both teams locked 1-1 at the end of regulation time, a goalless extra time followed. Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida failed to beat Dominik Livakovic from the spot during the penalty shootout, much to the dismay of the Japanese fans in the stadium.

Croatia will take on Brazil in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Friday.

Borna Coric ends 2022 as the player with the highest-winning percentage against top-10 opponents

Western & Southern Open - Day 9

Borna Coric had an incredible 2022 season, and he ended the season as the player with the highest win percentage against top-10 opponents.

"Borna Coric is the tennis player with the highest winning percentage against players ranked in the Top 10 in 2022. With 80% efficiency, the Croatian leads the statistics followed by Djokovic (76.6%), Nadal (72.7%), Rune (64.3%), Alcaraz (64.3%) and Kyrgios (60%)"

After undergoing shoulder surgery last year, Borna Coric returned to action at the 2022 Indian Wells Masters but failed to progress beyond the first round, which was followed by a series of early exits throughout the first half of the year.

At the Western and Southern Open, Coric upset Rafael Nadal in the second round and followed up the incredible win by getting past Roberto Bautista Agut and seventh seed Felix-Auger Aliassime in the next two rounds.

The juggernaut of wins continued as the Croatian, who turned 26 last month, defeated Cameron Norrie in the semifinals before getting past Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. With this win, he became the lowest-ranked champion ever to win an ATP Masters.

Coric beat Tsitsipas yet again in the Vienna Open Round of 16 as he stormed back into the top 30 after having begun the Western and Southern Open as World No. 152.