Australia assume control
Hewitt and Tomic put hosts on top, Uzbekistan also in charge
Last Updated: February 10, 2012 8:06pm
Barnard Tomic: Saw off Wu Di to put Australia 2-0 up against China
Australia took an early stranglehold on their first round Davis Cup tie with China after Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic both won their opening singles matches.
Veteran Hewitt, 30, saw off China's top-ranked player, Zhang Ze, in straight sets to get the ball rolling in Geelong, the two-time major champion prevailing 6-2 6-1 7-6 (7-4).
Tomic then ensured that the hosts would only need one further point from the remaining three rubbers as he defeated promising youngster Wu Di, also in straight sets.
However, Tomic - who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last month - insisted that the match against his 502nd-ranked opponent had been tougher than the scoreline might have suggested.
"Wu is the best 500 player I've ever seen," the 19-year-old said afterwards. "But one day I hopefully can win the Davis Cup."
One-sided
Australia's neighbours New Zealand did not enjoy such success, though, as Uzbekistan raced into a 2-0 lead in their first-round contest.
World number 58 Denis Istomin raced past Rubin Statham, dropping just five games in a one-sided encounter against a player ranked almost 500 places below him.
Istomin won 6-1 6-1 6-3 in barely 90 minutes and team-mate Farrukh Dustov backed up that success by beating Michael Venus in four sets.
Dustov had to come from a set down, but eventually chalked up a 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 triumph meaning that New Zealand must now win Saturday's doubles to have any hope of snatching victory.
