Australia in command; India, Pakistan win
melbourne — A focused Nick Kyrgios conceded just seven games in powering Australia to a 2-0 lead over the Czech Republic on the first day of their Davis Cup World Group tie.
The controversial world number 15 took just 95 minutes to reel off a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over the 157thranked Jan Satral and tighten Australia’s grip on the hardcourt tie at Kooyong in Melbourne.
Rookie Jordan Thompson upset Czech number one Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles match in two hours and six minutes.
In Tokyo, France took an early stranglehold on their Davis Cup first-round tie against Japan as Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon dominated the singles matches.
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Gasquet swept past Taro Daniel 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in Tokyo before Simon overpowered Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to put the visitors firmly in control of the World group clash.
In Islamabad, Pakistan welcomed the return of international tennis after a 12-year hiatus, taking a 2-0 lead against Iran in a group II Davis Cup match.
Hopes were high at the Davis Cup match in the capital Friday, where Pakistan won both singles matches in straight sets.
Aqeel Khan beat Iran’s Shahin Khaledan 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 6-2; while Aisam Qureshi downed Anoosha Shahgholi 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Khan said he was “extremely happy” to see international tennis return to Pakistan. “We have to play well as the home crowds have a lot of expectations from us,” he admitted.
“This is a huge achievement,” Salim Saifullah Khan, president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation told AFP, saying that having the home advantage for the first time in years would prompt a “huge leap” in Pakistani tennis.
In Pune, Yuki Bhambri and Ramkumar Ramanathan notched up straight-set victories to give India a 2-0 lead over New Zealand in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I.
The left-handed Bhambri eased past Finn Tearney 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the opener while Ramanathan outplayed Jose Statham 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. — Agencies