Chinese Taipei is leading its Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone Group I 2nd round play-off against New Zealand 2-0 after achieving the two points at stake on the first day of play. The team, captained by Chia-Yen Tsai, need only one more point to secure their place in next year’s Asia/Oceania Zone Group I competition.
New Zealand took an early lead in the first match after Daniel King-Turner outplayed Tsung-Hua Yang in the first set. However, Yang managed to recover by easily winning the second and third sets 60 63. New Zealand’s No. 2 tried to react in the fourth set but Yang maintained his high level and took the match with an overall score of 46 60 63 76(2).
The second match of the day saw Chinese Taipei’s Liang-Chi Huang stepping into the court to face New Zealand’s Michael Venus. The difference in ranking between the two players was significant with Huang at No. 372 and Venus at No. 559 and this was clearly reflected on the court. Venus did not seem to trouble a confident Huang, who produced a solid performance that gave Chinese Taipei a clear 2-0 lead in the tie.
Finland and Denmark locked at 1-1 after day one
In the Europe/Africa Zone Group I 2nd round relegation play-off between Finland and Denmark there was nothing to separate the two teams in Helsinki as it proved to be a day for the underdogs.
In the opening singles rubber, world No. 807 Juho Paukku stunned reigning Wimbledon doubles champion Frederik Nielsen with a gritty performance that saw the Finn win 46 76(10) 76(4) 76(5) in just under three hours.
And when it looked like the hosts would take a commanding lead, Denmark's Martin Pedersen, who doesn't have a singles ranking, swept past Timo Nieminen 62 63 63 in one hour forty minutes to level proceedings after day one.
The tie is now guaranteed to be live on the third day's play. In tomorrow's doubles rubber Micke Kontinen and Nieminen are scheduled to play Thomas Kromann and Nielsen in what will give one of today's losers the chance for redemption.