Kuerten dominated his match, ripping off 11 straight points with his serve to start. Vinciguerra was a late replacement in singles for 1999 Australian Open finalist Thomas Enqvist, who injured his thigh in practice Wednesday.
Sweden was also missing Thomas Johansson and Magnus Norman through injury.
In Zagreb, James Blake helped the US come back to level 1-1 with Croatia after beating Mario Anic 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the second singles match.
Ivan Ljubicic beat Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in the early match, serving up 30 aces.
"I've never played anybody with a serve like that," said Fish, who served 11 aces himself but hit only 48 percent of his first serves. "I couldn't read it and I had no answer for his serve."
The inexperienced American team is playing without Andy Roddick, who suffered a severe wrist injury at the Australian Open. Also, veteran stars Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi have lost interest in the Davis Cup, which the US has won a record 31 times -- but not since 1995.
In Arnhem, Netherlands, Switzerland and the Netherlands split their singles matches as Roger Federer and Sjeng Schalken each won.
Federer, the world No. 6, made quick work of Dutchman Raemon Sluiter to win 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 while Schalken, a 2002 US Open semifinalist, topped Swiss Michel Kratochvil 6-3, 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in a thrilling five-setter.
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