It was a tough day at the office for Portugal’s tennis squad. The nation’s team kicked off its Davis Cup World Group I tie against Peru in the worst way possible. They dropped both opening singles matches. This puts them in a serious hole, needing to win all three remaining contests to stay alive in the competition.
The action unfolded on the main court at Club Lawn Tennis de la Exposicion in Lima. Portugal’s top player, Nuno Borges, currently ranked 52nd globally, faced a real surprise. He went up against Gonzalo Bueno, who sits much lower at 209th in the world rankings. Borges started strong, taking the first set with a comfortable 6-3 lead.
However, the tide turned quickly. Over two hours and twenty-five minutes, Borges struggled to keep his advantage. He ended up losing the next two sets by scores of 6-2 and 7-5. It was a disheartening defeat for the Portuguese number one.
Next up, Jaime Faria, ranked 115th, stepped onto the court. He knew he needed a win to even things up. Faria faced Peru’s top player, Ignacio Buse, ranked 112th. Unfortunately for Portugal, Faria barely put up a fight. He lost in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-2. That match was over in just one hour and eight minutes.
Now trailing 2-0, Portugal faces an uphill climb. They must win all three matches scheduled for today to move forward in the tournament. Those include the doubles match and the two final singles encounters.
Unless the team captains decide to shake things up, the doubles rubber will feature Nuno Borges teaming up with Francisco Cabral for Portugal. They will go head-to-head with Peru’s Ignacio Buse and Juan Pablo Varillas. That match is set to begin at 8:00 PM Portuguese time. After the doubles, the remaining singles matches will see Borges take on Buse, followed by Faria against Bueno.