The US defeated Taiwan 4-0 in the first-round qualifiers of the Davis Cup with a commanding performance in Taipei on Friday.
Marcos Giron put the US ahead by beating Tseng Chun-hsin 6-2, 6-2 in the first rubber.
In the second match, Alex Michelsen, fresh from his Australian Open heroics where the 20-year-old reached the fourth round for the first time, completed a straight sets victory against Wu Tung-lin 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 giving the US a commanding lead in Taipei.
Photo: CNA
In the third rubber, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram sent the US to the second round by defeating Ray Ho and Wu 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
While the second set was more contested, the Olympic silver medalists never looked like dropping serve.
In the fourth match, Mackenzie McDonald comfortably beat Huang Tsung-hao 6-2, 6-3 to make the final score 4-0 as the US went through the whole tie without dropping serve.
“I had a good bit of rest between my last match in the Australian Open and today’s match,” Michelsen said.
“I felt the court speed was slower than in Australia, just because it was super hot down there, and inside here it’s very cold, very air-conditioned, which is amazing,” he said.
Elsewhere, Yoshihito Nishioka put Japan ahead against the UK, defeating Billy Harris 7-5, 6-1 before 23-year-old Fearnley, who reached the third round of the Australian Open, beat the experienced former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3.
“I knew I had to play really well, knowing how good a player Kei is and how good he’s been on the tour for so many years,” Fearnley said.
“I knew I had to play a perfect match on serve and do as much as I could to make balls in the court and luckily I had one of those days today,” he added.
Australia have a 2-0 lead over Sweden, with Alex de Minaur beating Mikael Ymer 7-5, 6-1 and Aleksandar Vukic defeating Leo Borg 6-4, 6-4 in Stockholm.
The first round has 26 teams playing for a place in September’s second round of qualifiers, where last year’s runners-up, the Netherlands, would join the competition, in a battle to make November’s Final 8 alongside hosts Italy.
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