Publications
Partners
San Diego - James Ward rallied to shock Sam Querrey in five sets as Great Britain seized a 2-0 lead over the United States in their Davis Cup World Group opener on Friday.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray set the tone, breezing past Davis Cup newcomer Donald Young in straight sets as Britain moved closer to a berth in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
Ward won 10 of the last 11 games to come from behind and beat Querrey 1-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, while Murray needed just 98 minutes to dispatch world number 79 Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.
Ward was down two sets and trailed 2-4 in the fourth when he staged his remarkable rally against world No. 49 Querrey on the clay court surface at Petco Park, home of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres.
Ward hit seven aces, 53 winners and won 89 percent of his second serve points in the three hour, 11 minute marathon.
Ward said it took awhile to figure out Querrey's serve and then it was just a matter of getting the American out of his comfort zone.
"I started reading him a little bit better," said Ward, who is ranked 175th in the world. "He was going to my backhand a lot of the first serve so I started to stand back a little bit further to give myself more time."
Murray, who blasted seven aces, closed out his match with a backhand return down the line that Young had no chance on.
"I managed to come up with some good shots when I needed them," said world number six Murray. "I hope we keep enjoying the weekend. It has been a good start."
Young was a late replacement for injured world number 13 John Isner.
Murray is still recovering from back surgery he underwent in September. At times on Friday he appeared to grimace after hitting shots, including one backhand into the net in the seventh game of the third set.
Scotsman Murray is scheduled to play in Saturday's doubles with teammate Colin Fleming against the Bob and Mike Bryan. But he hinted Friday that he might skip doubles.
"We will see. We have options in the doubles," Murray said. "I play doubles sometimes and I have missed the doubles.
"It is a big challenge for whoever is on the court," he added of a match that will be played against the formidable US team of Bob and Mike Bryan. "But maybe I will be out there who knows."
If Murray doesn't play doubles he could be replaced by Dominic Inglot.
Results of the Davis Cup World Group first round ties on Friday:
At Ostrava
Czech Republic 1 Netherlands 1
Robin Haase (NED) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-1
Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Igor Sijsling (NED) 6-3, 6-3, 6-0
Playing Saturday:
Jiri Vesely/Lukas Rosol (CZE) v Thiemo De Bakker/Jean-Julien Rojer (NED)
Playing Sunday:
Tomas Berdych (CZE) v Robin Haase (NED)
Radek Stepanek (CZE) v Igor Sijsling (NED)
At Frankfurt
Germany 2 Spain 0
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Florian Mayer (GER) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 5-7, 6-3
Saturday:
Daniel Brands/Tommy Haas (GER) v Fernando Verdasco/David Marrero (ESP)
Sunday:
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) v Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
Florian Mayer (GER) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
At Mar del Plata
Argentina 1 Italy 1
Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1
Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 7-5, 6-2, 6-2
Saturday:
Filippo Volandri/Simone Bolelli (ITA) v Horacio Zeballos/Eduardo Schwank (ARG)
Sunday:
Andreas Seppi (ITA) v Juan Monaco (ARG)
Fabio Fognini (ITA) v Carlos Berlocq (ARG)
At Novi Sad
Serbia 0 Switzerland 2
Roger Federer (SUI) bt Ilija Bozoljac (SRB) 6-4, 7-5, 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9/7)
Saturday:
Nenad Zimonjic/Filip Krajinovic (SRB) bt Marco Chiudinelli/Michael Lammer (SUI)
Sunday:
Roger Federer (SUI) v Dusan Lajovic (SRB)
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) v Ilija Bozoljac (SRB)
At Mouilleron-le-Captif
France 2 Australia 0
Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-2
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-3, 6-2, 7-6,(7/2)
Saturday:
Gael Monfils/Julien Benneteau (FRA) v Chris Guccione/Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Sunday:
Richard Gasquet (FRA) v Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) v Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
At Astana
Kazakhstan 2 Belgium 0
Andrei Golubev (KAZ) bt David Goffin (BEL) 7-6 (11/9), 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 12-10
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) bt Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3
Saturday:
Yevgeny Korolev/Denis Yevseyev (KAZ) v Olivier Rochus/Kimmer Coppejans (BEL)
Sunday:
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) v David Goffin (BEL)
Andrei Golubev (KAZ) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
At Tokyo
Japan 1 Canada 1
Kei Nishikori (Japan) bt Peter Polansky (Canada) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Frank Dancevic (Canada) bt Go Soeda (Japan) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1
At San Diego
USA 0 Great Britain 2
Andy Murray (GBR) bt Donald Young (USA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
James Ward (GBR) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 1-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Saturday:
Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) v Colin Fleming/Andy Murray (GBR)
Sunday:
Sam Querrey (USA) v Andy Murray (GBR)
Donald Young (USA) v James Ward (GBR)
