Swiss and Spanish start Davis Cup 1-1

Switzerland and Spain were 1-1 after a first day of play in a best-of-five, first-round tie in the Davis Cup.

Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka (ranked 19 in the world) defeated Nicolas Almagro (ATP 40) 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in three hours and 58 minutes at the Plaza de Toros de la Ribera in the Spanish town of Logroño on Friday.

In a later match Switzerland’s Marco Chiudinelli (ATP 56) was beaten by David Ferrer (ATP 16) 6-2, 7-6 (5), 7-1 in two and a half hours.

On Saturday Wawrinka and Yves Allegro (doubles ATP 128) play Tommy Robredo (ATP 23) and Marcel Granollers (ATP 26).

Sunday’s two singles matches are Friday’s line-ups reversed.

Switzerland need to win three of the five matches to qualify for the next round – against either France or Germany – in July.

However, Spain are the current champions, and although they are without their talisman, world number three Rafael Nadal, Switzerland are without their world number one, Roger Federer.

swissinfo.ch and agencies