PARIS – Richard Gasquet had little trouble beating teenager Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-2 to give France a 1-0 lead against Australia in their first-round Davis Cup tie on Friday.
Gasquet, ranked ninth in the world and France's No. 1 player, was a heavy favorite against a player ranked 162nd, but the 18-year-old Kyrgios competed well in a tight first set where neither player offered a chance on their serve.
He broke Kyrgios' serve twice in the second and third sets and clinched victory on his third match point when Kyrgios' backhand down the line landed just wide.
Later, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga faced Lleyton Hewitt. The 10th-ranked Tsonga leads the former two-time Grand Slam champion 3-0 in their head-to-heads.
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