Statham gives New Zealand the ideal start in Las Vegas

Rubin Statham has got New Zealand off to a brilliant start in its Davis Cup tie against Uruguay in Las Vegas. The Kiwi number one has beaten Ignacio Carou 6-4 6-2 in an hour and 19 minutes in the first singles rubber to put New Zealand 1-nil up.

Carou, ranked 698 in the world, was a late replacement for Uruguay’s number two Martin Cuevas who was struck down with Covid.

In windy conditions games went with serve until the fifth game of the first set when Statham broke from 30-30.  A double fault gave Statham the break point chance and he prevailed after a long baseline rally.

The Veteran Kiwi who is New Zealand’s most capped Davis Cup player of all time, playing his 33^rd tie, then held in the next game to open up a 4-2 lead over his 23-year-old opponent. At 5-3 Statham had two set points with Carou serving at 15-40 but the Uruguayan was able to serve his way out of trouble leaving Statham to try to close out the set on serve. He held to love with four unreturnable first serves to clinch the set in 39 minutes.

After both players held serve to start the second set Statham made a couple of big returns in Carou’s second serve game to get to deuce from 40-15. He then got a break point after a drop shot volley and while Carou saved that and a second break point, Statham hit a forehand winner on his 3^rd break point of the game to take a 2-1 lead.  It was a decisive moment and seemed to sap the energy and resolve of the Kiwi’s younger opponent. After holding serve to love Statham who was dominating from the baseline broke again for 4-1. He went on to close out a comfortable win having not faced a break point against his serve in the match.

Ajeet Rai plays the second singles rubber against Uruguay number one Pablo Cuevas.

The doubles and reverse singles rubbers are tomorrow. Michael Venus and Artem Sitak are scheduled to play against Carou and Ariel Behar but New Zealand captain Kelly Evernden thinks Uruguay will switch out Carou for Pablo Cuevas.

The winner of the World Group 1 playoff tie advances to September’s World Group qualifiers while the loser is relegated to World Group 2.