LAHORE, Sept 19: Pakistan and South Korea finished the first day on an even keel (1-1) in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group-I play-off tie at the Defence Club on Friday.

As expected Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi took only one hour 50 minutes to outclass Kim Kyu Tae in straight sets 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to give Pakistan an ideal start.

Though Aqeel Khan battled bravely against South Korean’s top seed Kim Young Joon for three and a half hours, he eventually lost 6-7 (17-19), 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8/10) to enable the visitors to share five match series at 1-1 on the opening day.

Aqeel, while executing an overhead stroke in the fourth set’s first game sustained injury and needed first aid which also did not help the home team’s cause.

The team doctor Meesaq Rizvi first told reporters it looked left-calf strain but later in the evening confirmed that Aqeel had an attack of cramps.

Although, Aqeel fought well in the remaining proceedings, yet he seems a doubtful starter for the doubles, scheduled for Saturday. If Aqeel can’t play the doubles, coach Rashid Malik will be a worried man who has no substitute of Aqeel’s class.

“We will have a fitness test of Aqeel in the morning before deciding whether to give him a chance in the doubles or not” Meesaq told Dawn.

Aisam, no doubt was far superior to Taei gave a much needed victory to Pakistan.

Seventeen aces against four by Taei speaks for itself what the terrific form Aisam displayed. However, Aisam, who looked somewhat nervous at the start, settled down as the match progressed.

“Yes, I was nervous in the beginning because I have never played the Koreans in the past but a lot of Davis Cup experience gave me confidence and I settled down well”, said Aisam.

Tae said that he was neither used to such hot weather nor to grass courts. “The weather was too hot and it was my career’s first match on grass and I could not adjust myself”, Tae said.

Both played baseline game and there were hardly any long rallies due to fast surface.

Aisam won the toss and opted to serve first, hitting two aces in a row in the first game and clinched the game without losing a point. Soon Aisam was 2-1 ahead and he broke Tae’s in the fourth games 50-30 to take 3-1 lead.

Then holding his own, Aisam again broke Tae in the sixth game to surge 5-1 ahead. He sealed the fate of the set by keeping his serve in the next to win it 6-1.

Aisam made it 2-0 by winning the second set by breaking Tae’s two services one each in the first and second of the fifth.

But he met resistance in the third set. Tae started off in stormy fashion and took 2-0 lead by holding his service in the first game and breaking Aisam’s first service in the second game.

Aisam was on the verge of breaking another service of Tae which could give him 4-3 lead. Aisam had taken 40-0 lead but Tae came back roaring to equalise at 40-40 and then two deuces and advantages went ahead 4-3.

However, Aisam who had restored the parity 4-4 by holding his serve in the eighth managed to break Tae in the ninth and then again held his own serve in the next to complete an easy win.

Joon had to be at his best to overcome battling Aqeel in four-sets. After a long-drawn first set which he won in tie-break 19/17, the South Korean lost the second set as heat and humidity seemed to get on top of him.

But mother nature came to Joon’s rescue at the start of the third set as the weather cooled down making it easier for the South Korean.

In the first set, the more experienced Joon broke Aqeel’s service in the third game to take 2-1 lead. Aqeel also did the same in the sixth to level the score 3-3.

From thereon both held their services to decide the set on tie-breaker.

Aqeel came from 4-1 behind to catch up Joon at 5-5 in tie- breaker. From there onwards they caught each other at all stages (7-7, 8-8, 8-9, 10-10, 11-11, and till 17th). Joon went ahead 18- 17 with a pass shots and then made it 19-17 with a terrific forehand.

Aqeel displayed high form in the second set and broke Joon’s service in the very first game. Aqeel managed to hold his service in the remaining proceedings to eventually win the second set to level the score 1-1.

Joon regained his supremacy winning the third set with a break in the fifth game to forge 2-1 ahead.

Aqeel despite being handicapped from the start of the fourth set, stretched it to another tie-breaker as both the players failed to each other’s service.

In tie-break, Joon had taken 4-2 lead which  Aqeel levelled with two winners. They again were tied up at 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 before Joon earned two winners to end Aqeel’s resistance.

Earlier, Punjab chief minister Chaudhary Pervez Elahi announced an amount of Rs 5 million (rupees fifty lakh) for the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to promote the game in the country.

Later, a PTF spokesman said that the national body would also assist Punjab Lawn Tennis Association from this aid besides constructing tennis complex at Islamabad.

Results: Aisamul Haq bt Kim Kyu Tae 6-1, 6-2, 6-4; Kim Young Joon bt Aqeel Khan 7-6 (19-17); 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8).