Davis Cup round-up: US lead Taiwan; Japan, Britain 1-1

Britain's Jacob Fearnley in action during his Davis Cup first round match against Japan's Kei Nishikori at Bourbon Beans Dome, Miki, Japan, on Friday.

IMAGE: Britain's Jacob Fearnley in action during his Davis Cup first round match against Japan's Kei Nishikori at Bourbon Beans Dome, Miki, Japan, on Friday. Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Alex Michelsen hung on to defeat Tung-Lin Wu and help the United States take a 2-0 lead against Taiwan in the Davis Cup qualifier in Taipei City on Friday.

Marcos Giron opened the tie with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Chun-Hsin Tseng before Michelsen fired 12 aces and saved both break-points he faced to get away from Wu.

"I had a good bit of rest between my last match in the Australian Open and today's match," Michelsen said.

"I had a good amount of preparation, I had a great preparation week, doing all the right things.

"I felt the court speed was slower than in Australia, just because it was super hot down there, and inside here it's very cold, very air-conditioned, which is amazing."

The doubles team of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram can clinch a second round place for the Americans on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Yoshihito Nishioka put Japan ahead against Britain, defeating Billy Harris 7-5, 6-1 before 23-year-old Jacob Fearnley, who reached the third round of the Australian Open, beat the experienced former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3 pull Britain level.

"I knew I had to play really well, knowing how good a player Kei is and how good he's been on the tour for so many years," Fearnley said.

"I knew I had to play a perfect match on serve and do as much as I could to make balls in the court and luckily I had one of those days today."

Australia have a 2-0 lead over Sweden with Alex de Minaur beating Mikael Ymer 7-5, 6-1 and Aleksandar Vukic defeating Leo Borg 6-4, 6-4 in Stockholm.

The first round has 26 teams playing for a place in September's second round of qualifiers, where last year's runners-up, the Netherlands, will join the competition, in a battle to make November's Final 8 alongside hosts Italy.

Argentina will face the Dutch in the second round after they defeated Norway 3-2.

Casper Ruud beat Tomas Etcheverry 6-3, 6-3 to draw the Norwegians level before Mariano Navone overcame Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to seal Argentina's win.

Also Friday, Austria took a 2-0 lead over Finland in Schwechat, Austria; Serbia went in front 2-0 on Denmark in Copenhagen; Germany took a 2-0 edge over Israel in Vilnius, Lithuania.