Football
20y

Tennis-Moya puts Spain 1-0 up against Netherlands

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain, April 9 - Carlos Moya
gave Spain a 1-0 lead in their Davis Cup quarter-final tie
against the Netherlands when he eased to a 6-2 7-5 6-4 victory
over Martin Verkerk in the opening singles on Friday.

Mallorcan-born Moya gave his home crowd plenty to cheer
about as he got his team off to the perfect start with an
authoritative performance against the man who beat him in the
quarter-finals of last year's French Open.

Moya began confidently despite a 70-minute rain delay,
breaking serve in the third and fifth games as he moved Verkerk
around the clay court in the converted bullring in Palma.

The Spaniard proceeded to ease his way into a 5-2 lead
before wrapping up the opening set with a flourish when he
unleashed his seventh ace.

The Mallorcan broke again in the third game of the second
set but Verkerk rallied to break back in the sixth after Moya
double faulted and then missed the line with a loose forehand.

Although Verkerk fought hard to earn himself a set point in
the 10th game, Moya held his nerve and then stepped up a gear
before serving out to love to take the second set 7-5.

Moya looked as though he might wrap things up quickly when
he broke twice to take a 4-1 lead in the third. However, Verkerk
refused to cave in and levelled at 4-4.

The brief scare only served to spark a Moya into life once
more and after breaking the Verkerk serve to love in the 10th,
he served out for victory to take the first point in the tie to
the delight of his home supporters.

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