Aussies In Command

Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic were irresistible on Friday, winning all six sets played against Slovakia to put Australia a match away from remaining in the Davis Cup World Group in 2017. #NextGen star Kyrgios opener the tie with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andrej Martin, while Tomic helped the Aussies to a 2-0 lead by dismissing Jozef Kovalik 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4.

Even without Kei Nishikori, who was rested by captain Minoru Ueda, Japan was able to race to a 2-0 lead in their tie against Ukraine. Taro Daniel edged Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-1 in the first rubber before #NextGen player Yoshihito Nishioka beat Illya Marchenko 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Uzbekistan, hosting Switzerland on outdoor clay in Tashkent, is aiming to reach the World Group for the first time. Denis Istomin helped the home team to an early lead by beating Antoine Bellier 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, but Henri Laaksonen equalised for the Swiss by routing Sanjar Fayziev 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

Feliciano Lopez was a late Spanish substitution for Rafael Nadal in the first rubber of their away tie against India. Lopez beat Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 on an outdoor hard court in New Delhi to give the visitors an early lead. David Ferrer put the visitor a match away from promotion by downing Saketh Myneni 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.

Jan-Lennard Struff earned his first live-rubber singles win and helped the Germans move ahead 1-0 against Poland in Berlin. Struff outlasted Kamil Majchrzak 6-7(8), 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. Florian Mayer would double the hosts’ lead by beating Hubert Hurkacz 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5.

David Goffin made a quick start in the Belgium-Brazil tie by downing Thiago Monteiro 6-2, 6-2, 6-0. Steve Darcis then topped Thomaz Bellucci 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 to put the Belgians up 2-0.

Frank Dancevic helped Canada to a quick start against Chile by taking down Christian Garin 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 on a fast indoor court in Halifax. Vasek Pospisil doubled the home team’s lead by seeing off Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3.