No Rafael Nadal. No Carlo Alcaraz. No problem for defending champions Spain so far in the Davis Cup finals.
40-year-old Feliciano Lopez gave Spain a 1-0 lead over Ecuador in Group A with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Roberto Quiroz at home in Madrid.
The United States, meanwhile, had a rough start against Italy, in Turin, where Lorenzo Sonego defeated Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-6 (4) in his hometown in Group E. Jannik Sinner. was then dominant against John Isner, defeated 6-2, 6-0, to seal the outcome of the confrontation before the double.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play in singles and doubles against Austria in Group F later in Innsbruck.
Each match on the indoor hard courts is a two-of-three series consisting of two singles matches and one doubles match. The six group winners as well as the two second-place teams with the best records from rounds and matches will advance to the quarter-finals.
The semi-finals and the final will be played in Madrid.
Lopez found himself in the thick of the singles action when Next Gen ATP Finals champion Alcaraz tested positive for the coronavirus and was sidelined from the Spanish squad on Thursday. Nadal is not playing due to a left foot injury that ended his season.
Roberto Bautista Agut, 19e A world player, having also left the Spain squad earlier this week with an abdominal injury, Lopez has been selected to play in the opener.
Lopez was also due to play doubles later with Marcel Granollers against Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo.
Lopez, who was once ranked 12e rank, slipped out of the top 100 in singles and doubles. His playing career stretches so long that he has already started his post-career, having been appointed director of the Madrid tournament.
“I still have a passion for the game. It’s obvious,” said Lopez. I was waiting for an opportunity like this. I wasn’t expecting to play, but a lot has happened this week… I ended up playing a great game. “
The formidable server Opelka for his part committed a double fault to give Sonego the only breakage of the match, then he made a few more errors in the tie-breaker as the Italian ended the match with a winning volley on his first. match point.