Japan and Australia took 2-0 leads in their Davis Cup World Group playoffs on Friday.
In need of victory against Ukraine to retain its place in the World Group next year, Japan opted to rest world No 5 Kei Nishikori in the opening singles, and the decision paid off in Tokyo.
Taro Daniel defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-1, and Yoshihito Nishioka gave the hosts a commanding lead by topping Illya Marchenko 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
Stakhovsky, who had 13 aces, was a last-minute replacement for Artem Smirnov, who pulled out after feeling ill. Nishikori will partner with Yuichi Sugita to take on Stakhovsky and Danylo Kalenichenko in doubles on Saturday, when Japan can seal the tie.
In Sydney, Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic had straight-set singles victories against Slovakia.
Kyrgios, Australia's No 1 player, opened with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andrej Martin. Tomic beat Jozef Kovalik 7-6 (5) 6-4, 6-4.
Sam Groth and John Peers will try to clinch the tie for Australia on Saturday when they play Martin and Igor Zelenay. The winner will compete in the 16-team World Group in 2017. Australia is trying to make it for a fourth straight year, and Slovakia for the first time since 2006.
Slovakia is playing without its two top-ranked singles players, No31 Martin Klizan and No102 lukas lacko, due to injuries.
Australia has won the Davis Cup 28 times — second only to the United States' 32 — but hasn't captured the trophy since 2003, its longest drought since before World War II. Australia lost to the US in the World Group first round this year.
Gasquet puts France in front foot
ZADAR: Richard Gasquet gave France a 1-0 lead over Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals, winning the opening tie against Borna Coric in straight sets on Friday.
Gasquet, who found out he would play in singles after Gael Monfils left the injury-hit France team on Wednesday, was in complete control and prevailed 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-1, limiting his mistakes to just 13 unforced errors.
The 17th-ranked Frenchman, whose previous match ended in a straight sets loss to Kyle Edmund in the first round at the U.S Open first round, said winning the second set tiebreak was the "key of the match."
After Coric failed to serve out the second set, Gasquet erased a 3-1 deficit in the tiebreak. Down 6-3, Coric saved two set points but buried a backhand into the net and Gasquet took a two-set lead.
"I won, that's the most important. It's Davis Cup, it's never easy," Gasquet said. "Three sets to zero, it's a great result for me. It was important for me to make him run."
Gasquet improved his singles record to 12-8.
lucas Pouille, a US Open quarterfinalist last month, takes on 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the second match.