Ukraine and Japan in Osaka began to challenge the place in the World group of the Davis Cup – first day match meeting was held under the dictation of the owners.
The captain of the national team of Ukraine Mikhail Filima for the opening match made a change – instead of Artem Smirnov on the court out Sergiy Stakhovsky, who resisted Daniel Taro, occupies the 88-th line in the ATP ranking.
A lot in this match decided the first set – Stakhovsky allowed them to escape with the account 5:3, and then in the tie-break, leading 4:2, lost five goals in a row. In the second set of the Tarot again upset the Ukrainians in the tiebreak and in the third party Japanese led 4:0 and easily brought the match to victory.
Taro Daniel (Japan) — Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) — 7:6, 7:6, 6:1
To equalize the situation has tried the new leader of the national team of Ukraine Illya Marchenko, but the player failed to break the Japanese barrier. In a protracted chetyrehmetrovoy match of the Ukrainian defeated the 96th issue of the ATP ranking, Yoshihito Nishioka.
Marchenko was close to the turning point in the match, but allowed the opponent to make a comeback in the fourth set. Ilya was leading 2:0, then 4:2 and in the ninth game on his serve and lost the set-bol. Nishioka felt confident and never lost a single game.
Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan) — Ilya Marchenko (Ukraine) — 6:4, 5:7, 6:4, 7:5
Tomorrow will be doubles – Ukraine must win. In the case of the third success of the masters of intrigue in the fight for a place in the World group of the Davis Cup will be finally killed.
