Bajans happy with start

ONE DOWN. Two to go.

It’s not the 2-0 lead they were hoping for, but Barbados will be more than happy with a first-day stalemate after splitting the opening singles matches with Mexico in yesterday’s historic Davis Cup Group II final at the National Tennis Centre.

The start wasn’t an ideal one, especially considering local no. 2 Haydn Lewis didn’t serve up his best performance while missing several chances in a disheartening 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat to fellow lefty Tigre Hank.

But Darian King ensured the hosts would need just two more wins to win their first ever Group II championship, turning the best-of-five rubber into a race to three by dispatching a wilting Miguel-Angel Reyes-Varela 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.