Spain's David Ferrer dispatched Marco Chiudinelli in straight sets to level the depleted champion's Davis Cup first-round tie against Switzerland at 1-1 in Logrono Friday. Seven of the eight World Group matches were underway around Europe, with the start of Chile's tie at home to Israel delayed to Saturday because of the disruption caused by last weekend's deadly earthquake. Russia carved out a 2-0 advantage over visiting India, victories for Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put France 2-0 up at home to Germany, and last year's finalist Czech Republic opened up a 2-0 lead in Belgium. The Swiss are bidding to become the first team to beat the Spanish in 19 home ties stretching back to a defeat by Brazil in 1999. Spain also won the title in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Stanislas Wawrinka, leading the Swiss in the absence of world No. 1 Roger Federer, drew first blood at the Plaza de Toros de Ribera bullring when he twice battled back from a set down to beat Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Backed by the noisy, red and yellow-clad home support, Ferrer fought off stiff resistance from the powerful, 56th-ranked Chiudinelli in the second set on the clay before completing a 6-2, 7-6, 6-1 win. France's Monfils earned his first Davis Cup point in Toulon when he fought past tenacious German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 before Tsonga took four sets to beat Benjamin Becker. “To win that game was a matter of honor because Kohlschreiber is a real fighter,” Monfils said. “It was one of my best matches of the season,” he added. In Stockholm, Leonardo Mayer rallied to beat Joachim Johansson and leave Argentina level with Sweden at 1-1. Mayer won 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in just over three hours in the second singles on the hardcourt of Royal Tennis Hall. Earlier, world No. 7 Robin Soderling beat cup first-timer Eduardo Schwank 6-1, 7-6 (0), 7-5. In Croatia, Marin Cilic crushed Giovanni Lapentti 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to give Croatia a 2-0 lead over Ecuador. Earlier, Ivo Karlovic beat Lapentti's older brother Nicolas 6-2, 5-7, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4. And Serbia moved 1-0 ahead against the United States in Belgrade thanks to Viktor Troicki's hard-fought 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 6-4 victory over John Isner. World No. 2 Novak Djokovic was playing Sam Querrey later Friday. After finding out he was playing an hour before the start, Russia's Igor Kunitsyn rallied to defeat Somdev Devvarman 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles in Moscow and Mikhail Youzhny followed up with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 straight-sets demolition of Rohan Bopanna. Hantuchova in quarters In Mexico, second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova and fourth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova - both of Slovakia - have reached the quarterfinals of the Monterrey Open. Hantuchova defeated Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-1, 6-3 Thursday and Cibulkova downed Sara Errani of Italy 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Fifth-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary also advanced, defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-1, while Latvian Anastasija Sevastova was a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Czech Iveta Benesova.
