Korea edge ahead on opening day against New Zealand

Korea Republic has taken a 1-0 advantage over home team New Zealand in their Davis Cup by Rakuten World Group I tie being played at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

Nam JiSung took 58 minutes to defeat Rubin Statham 6-2 6-2 on the grass court by gaining the advantage from the sixth game of the match when the Kiwi player sent a forehand wide. That allowed Nam to break serve and create a 4-2 lead.

Throughout the match Nam had the advantage as he kept the pressure on Statham. He broke the New Zealander's serve again in the eighth game when Statham drilled a backhand long and that allowed Nam to wrap up the first set in 27 minutes.

The Korea Republic player was brimming with confidence with his returns and was being cheered on vocally by a handful of supporters. He opened a 3-0 lead in the second set and it was only a game later that Statham was on the scoreboard.

Nam faced only one break point in the second set, which he saved with a forehand winner, and repeated that same shot on match point when he broke Statham's serve once again to give the visiting nation an early lead in the tie.