Saturday, April 28, 2012

Tomic pushed, Aussies take early lead

Updated April 06, 2012 18:26:00

Stepping up in Lleyton Hewitt's absence proved more difficult than first thought for Bernard Tomic despite pulling off a straight-sets Davis Cup win in Brisbane on Friday.

Australia drew first blood in the Asia-Oceania zone second-round tie against South Korea after Tomic took out Min-Hyeok Cho 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 at Patrick Rafter Arena.

World number 75 Matthew Ebden then gave Australia a 2-0 lead when he sealed a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Suk-Young Jeong, ranked 730th.

Jeong became South Korea's number one after its six top-ranked players opted not to come to Brisbane, reportedly due to a dispute with their federation.

Australia's Chris Guccione and Marinko Matosevic have been named to take on Jeong and Jae-Min Seol in Saturday's doubles rubber.

At just 19, Tomic was asked to lead Australia with Hewitt out until June due to toe surgery.

And a comfortable victory was expected for the world number 36.

But the Wimbledon quarter-finalist hardly had everything go his way despite lining up against a player who does not have an official ATP ranking.

Indeed Tomic looked like a concerned man when he was broken in the match's opening game before Cho saved three break points to lead 3-1 in the first set.

Tomic rattled off the next three games before Cho again went toe to toe with the young Aussie from the baseline to provide unexpected resistance.

Cho, 25, only conceded a break in the second game of the second set before giving Tomic another fright in the third.

Tomic broke to lead 2-1 in the third, only to have Cho return the favour immediately then serve out the next game to lead 3-2.

Alarm bells were ringing when Tomic then limped off to receive treatment for what appeared to be a thigh complaint.

However, Tomic regrouped to claim the next four games, sealing his second match point with a backhand winner to extend his Cup singles record to 6-1.

World number 18 Australia will advance to the World Group play-offs in September if it defeats number 31 South Korea.

Australia has not been in the elite 16-team World Group since 2007.

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, korea-republic-of

First posted April 06, 2012 18:26:00


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