Taiwan made a perfect start to their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1 relegation play-off against Indonesia in Greater Kaohsiung yesterday by claiming both singles matches to go 2-0 up in the best-of-five tie.
Huang Liang-chi made short work of world No. 1,787 Wisnu Adi Nugroho 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 in the first rubber before Chen Ti saw off Christopher Rungkat 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.
Lee Hsin-han and Peng Hsien-yin are due to face Indonesian duo Elbert Sie and David Agung Susanto in today’s doubles, knowing that victory will claim the tie for the hosts.
Photo: Huang Chih-yuan, Taipei Times
The winners of the tie, which concludes with tomorrow’s reverse singles, will retain their place in Asia/Oceania Group 1 with the losers dropping down to Group II.
Meanwhile, a swashbuckling Kei Nishikori gave Japan the lead over Colombia in their Davis Cup World Group playoff, only for Santiago Giraldo to play spoiler by winning a cliffhanger to leave the tie deadlocked at 1-1.
World No. 12 Nishikori never looked in danger against Alejandro Falla, with two love service games to open the match setting the tone for a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory and giving Japan an early boost in their push for a return to the world group.
However, Giraldo gave the Japanese plenty to think about with a battling 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 win over Go Soeda after turning on the power in the final set with some brutal hitting on the indoor hard courts in Tokyo.
Nishikori and Soeda take on Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal in today’s doubles.
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