Ruud helps Norway take 2-0 lead over Uzbekistan in Davis Cup

Casper Ruud’s Davis Cup debut as a Top 10 player resulted in a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Khumoyun Sultav on Friday, helping rway take a 2-0 le over visiting Uzbekistan in World Group I playoffs.

22-year-old Ruud — whose far, Christian, played for rway’s Davis Cup team with current captain Anders Haseth — became country’s first player in ATP Top 10 when he rose one spot from 11th on Monday. After Ruud’s win began best-of-five-match series on an indoor hard court in Oslo, Viktor Durasovic beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4 for hosts.

rway is in World Group playoffs for first time since 1995.

In or results Friday, South Korea took a 2-0 le against New Zealand at Newport, Rhode Island, Chile and host Slovakia were tied 1-1, Finland led visiting India 2-0, and Peru was hosting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

re are a total of 12 World Group I matchups in this playoff round, two of which were contested in March, with Japan beating Pakistan 4-0 and Ukraine defeating Israel 3-2. Of ors, five begin Saturday: Bolivia vs. Belgium in Paraguay, Belarus at Argentina, Brazil at Leban, Nerlands at Uruguay, Portugal at Romania.

As part of move from an 18-team Davis Cup Finals to a 16-team event next year, only top eight highest-ranked winning countries from this round will participate in 2022 qualification matches. or four will play World Group I elimination matches in vember, with two winners n vancing to 2022 qualifiers.

12 losing countries in this round will go back into World Group I playoffs for 2022 in hopes of getting into qualifying system for following year.

re are also World Group II matchups this weekend, giving countries a chance to vance to World Group I playoffs next year.

That includes South Africa against Venezuela, a matchup being played at Forest Hills Stium in New York, former site of U.S. Open Grand Slam tournament, which is hosting Davis Cup competition for first time since 1959.