BANGKOK, Feb 6: Thailand, led by Asian number one Paradorn Srichaphan, opened up a commanding 2-0 lead on Friday against unheralded Pakistan in their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 first-round clash outside Bangkok.
The hosts put on a clinical display in front of a sparse crowd at Muang Thong Thani stadium, where the singles matches were sewn up in under two hours as the visitors failed to grab a set.
World number 10 Paradorn humbled unranked Pakistani number two Nomi Qamar 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 in the first rubber which took just 58 minutes, with the Thai sensation firing eight aces.
He broke Nomi's serve in the sixth and eighth game to seal the first set, and it was downhill from there for the Pakistani who crumbled under Paradorn's assault in the second and third, losing the final stanza in just 17 minutes.
Thai number two Danai Udomchoke took up where his countryman left off, stumping Aqeel Khan 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 in 61 minutes. Danai, ranked 159 in the world and a veteran of seven Davis Cup teams, began his match by breaking Aqeel's serve and never looked back, as a string of unforced errors handed Thailand the first set.
Following Paradorn's lead, Danai stormed to a 5-0 lead in the second before Aqeel regained some measure of composure and held a service game. A Aqeel double fault marked the opening of the third set, but he broke back and held serve at 2-1 in the third for Pakistan's only semblance of a lead in their unfortunate day.
Danai did not let things get out of hand and quickly took a 5-2 lead on a service break, before sealing a triple-match point with a down-the-line rocket.
Meanwhile, Lleyton Hewitt was acclaimed as the best Davis Cup player in the world after winning his record-equalling 24th singles victory to put champions Australia level with Sweden in their World Group tennis tie here on Friday.
The 22-year-old Hewitt dismantled Swedish debutant Robin Soderling in straight sets to join Adrian Quist for a record-equalling most singles wins by an Australian in just five years of Cup competition.
Hewitt came to his country's rescue yet again with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 victory over the 54th-ranked Soderling after Mark Philippoussis was snuffed out 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 by red-hot Thomas Enqvist in the opening rubber.
Saturday's doubles could prove pivotal to the outcome of the Adelaide tie with Todd Woodbridge partnering Wayne Arthurs against Swedish pair, Jonas Bjorkman and Joachim Johansson.
The world number 13, playing on his home Memorial Drive court, could claim the national record outright if he plays in Sunday's final reverse singles, where he has been drawn to face Enqvist.
Results:
Thailand 2 Pakistan 0
Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) bt Nomi Qamar (PAK) 6-2, 6-1, 6-0; Danai Udomchoke (THA) bt Ageel Khan (PAK) 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
Australia 1 Sweden 1
Thomas Enqvist (SWE) bt Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) bt Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-4, 6-3, 6-1
South Korea 2 Malaysia 0
Hyung-Taik Lee (KOR) bt Dannio Yahya (MAS) 6-1, 6-0, 6-0; Hee-Seok Chung (KOR) bt Yew-Ming Si (MAS) 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
Netherlands 1 Canada 0
Sjeng Schalken (NED) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1; Martin Verkerk (NED) v Simon Larose (CAN)
Japan 1 Indonesia 1
Takao Suzuki (JPN) bt Prima Simpatiaji (INA) 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4; Febi Widhiyanto (INA) bt Goichi Motomura (JPN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
New Zealand 1 India 1
Simon Rea (NZL) bt Harsh Mankad (IND) 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2); Leander Paes (IND) bt Mark Nielsen (NZL) 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2)
China 2 Philippines 0
Lu Hao (CHN) bt Johnny Arcilla (PHI) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); Yu Xinyuan (CHN) bt Joseph Victorino (PHI) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
Uzbekistan 2 Taiwan 0
Vadim Kutsenko (UZB) bt Liu Tai-wei (TPE) 6-0, 6-1, 6-1; Dmitriy Mazur (UZB) bt Chen Ti (TPE) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
Czech Republic 1 Spain 0
Jiri Novak (CZE) bt Rafael Nadal (SPA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)
Morocco 0 Argentina 1
Guillermo Coria (ARG) bt Mounir El Aarej (MAR) 6-1, 6-1, 6-4
Zimbabwe 1 Greece 1
Konstantinos Economidis (GRE) bt Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3); Wayne Black (ZIM) bt Vasilis Mazarakis (GRE) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
Belarus 0 Russia 1
Igor Andreyev (RUS) bt Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 4-4 retired
Romania 1 Switzerland 1
Andrei Pavel (ROM) bt Michel Kratochvil (SWI) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4; Roger Federer (SWI) bt Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-1
France 1 Croatia 1
Arnaud Clement (FRA) bt Mario Ancic (CRO) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) bt Thierry Ascione (FRA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. -AFP