Davis Cup team in a hole

Article by Mike King

The Barbados Davis Cup team is down and almost out. The host country lost both opening singles matches to Ecuador in a dreadful start to its Americas Zone Group 1 second round play-off at the National Tennis Centre in Wildey, on Friday.

Fast rising 21-year-old Matthew Foster-Estwick was swept off court in an hour by Roberto Quiroz 6-0, 6-1 while number one player Darian King went down in three sets to a rampant Emilio Gomez, the son of 1990 French Open champion and former world number four Andres Gomez.

It was a rare defeat at home for the 26-year-old King with Gomez winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a gripping see-saw encounter before a crowd that included this country’s first black champion and 1960s number one player Tyrone Mapp.

King converted just three of nine break points on a day that the rejuvenated Gomez more than matched him stroke for stroke. (MK)

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition.

For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.