TWO GAMES. One day.
No advantage.
Barbados’ big best-of-five rubber has turned into another race to two as both the hosts’ and Chile’s No.1s took contrasting victories to highlight yesterday’s opening singles matches of their Davis Cup Americas Group II tie at the National Tennis Centre.
With a coveted second-round spot on the line, the visitors struck first after Gonzalo Lama swept to an early-morning 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(4) win over a rusty Haydn Lewis before man-of-the-moment Darian King battled back from a set down to upend Christian Garin 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-3 to even the tie.
It was the big storyline coming out of Day 1, which has left Barbados in the position of trying to win two of the next three encounters – today’s doubles and tomorrow’s two reverse singles – following last year’s near identical showing against Puerto Rico.
Chile very nearly flipped the script though, having threatened to run away with the rubber as the 17-year-old Garin looked certain of taking a two-set lead when he held three break points with a chance to go ahead 4-2 in the second set. But there’s just no beating the king on his court.
