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Taiwan, Thailand tied after opening Davis Cup matches

Taiwan's Lee Hsin-han returns to Thailand's Danai Udomchoke in the opening singles matches of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group I clash yesterday in Sinjhuang, Taipei County. Udomchoke won 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. PHOTO: SAM YEH, AFP

Taiwan and Thailand tied in the opening singles matches of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group I clash yesterday.

Thailand's Danai Udomchoke, ranked 79th and a gold medal winner in last year's Asian Games in Doha, defeated Taiwan's Lee Hsin-han (李欣翰) 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Taiwan then managed a comeback, with Chen Ti (陳迪) beating Weerapat Doakmaiklee 7-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3.

Reverse singles will take place tomorrow after the doubles today.

The matches in Taipei were overshadowed by a dispute between Taiwan's top player Lu Yen-hsun (盧彥勳), who was left out of the tie, and the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association.

Lu, ranked 90th, was replaced by world number 1,010 Yi Chu-huan after demanding better protection of players' rights from the association.

Lu's agent said the player's demands had been rejected. The association said they would be met, but had come too late for Lu to play against Thailand.

Spanish world No. 2 Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the opening rubber of his country's Davis Cup World Group first round tie with Switzerland, after straining a muscle in training.

Nadal's withdrawal was announced by tournament officials just half an hour before he was to face Swiss No. 3 Marco Chiudinelli in yesterday's first singles match.

Nadal's place will be taken by world No. 33 Fernando Verdasco, who was originally due to contest only today's doubles rubber alongside Feliciano Lopez.

It was not clear whether Nadal would be fit enough to play in tomorrow's reverse singles.

Switzerland were hit by a similar blow on Thursday when their top-seeded player Stanislas Wawrinka was forced to withdraw after tearing a knee ligament in training.

Wawrinka, who was to play yesterday's second singles rubber against Spanish world No. 15 David Ferrer, has been replaced by Stephane Bohli.
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