Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV: Sri Lanka, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan begin campaigns on winning note

Thehan Wijemanne in action 

By M. Shamil Amit

Hosts Sri Lanka, along with Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan, began their campaigns on a winning note on the opening day of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV tennis tournament played at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Green Path, Colombo, yesterday.

Sri Lanka were made to work hard before overcoming Qatar 2–1 in their three-match tie.

Apna Perera suffered defeat in the opening singles match, but Thehan Wijemanne brought Sri Lanka back into the contest with a hard-fought victory in the second singles encounter.

Perera later made amends by combining with Saha Kapilasena to win the decisive doubles match in straight sets and secure the tie for Sri Lanka.

In contrast, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan enjoyed comfortable passages against Turkmenistan and Iraq respectively, recording convincing 3–0 victories.

The tournament will continue today.

Results

Sri Lanka beat Qatar 2–1

Singles

Mubarak Alharrasi (Qatar) beat Apna Perera (Sri Lanka) 6–3, 4–6, 6–2.

Thehan Wijemanne (Sri Lanka) beat Mossa Alharrasi (Qatar) 3–6, 6–4, 6–4.

Doubles

Saha Kapilasena and Apna Perera (Sri Lanka) beat Jabor Al-Mutawa and Mubarak Alharrasi (Qatar) 7–6(2), 7–6(5).

Kuwait beat Turkmenistan 3–0

Singles

Abdulhamid Mubarak (Kuwait) beat Resul Atayev (Turkmenistan) 6–1, 6–0.

Essa Qabazard (Kuwait) beat Aly Geldyev (Turkmenistan) 6–4, 6–1.

Doubles

Bader Alabdullah and Essa Qabazard (Kuwait) beat Selim Chagylov and Yuriy Rogusskiy (Turkmenistan) 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.

Kyrgyzstan beat Iraq 3–0

Singles

Kirill Kistanov (Kyrgyzstan) beat Mohammed Al-Shammari (Iraq) 6–2, 7–5.

Mirgiiaz Mirdzhaliev (Kyrgyzstan) beat Amin Al-Ubaidy (Iraq) 6–0, 7–6(2).

Doubles

Abdumalik Kamalov and Kirill Kistanov (Kyrgyzstan) beat Mohammed Al-Shammari and Akam Bakr (Iraq) 6–2, 6–2.