Tennis: Japan thrash Thailand 5-0 in Davis Cup

OSAKA - Japan completed a 5-0 whitewash of Thailand on Sunday without their ace Takao Suzuki, who rested after helping his squad securing a spot in the play-off for the top-level Davis Cup World Group.

Suzuki teamed up with Satoshi Iwabuchi on Saturday to beat Thai twin brothers Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, giving Japan an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

On Sunday, Go Soeda whipped Weerapat Doakmaiklee 6-1, 6-2 in a shortened dead rubber and Suzuki's substitute Yuichi Sugita breezed past Kittipong Wachiramanowong 6-2, 6-4 to finish out the decisive win.

Sugita, ranked only 475th in the world, hit four aces and needed only 65 minutes to dispose of the 1,507th-ranked Kittipong.

Thailand were without their top two players -- 2002 Asian Games gold medalist Paradorn Srichaphan and 2006 champion Danai Udomchoke -- who are both sidelined due to injuries.

Japan stretched their record to six wins and two defeats against Thailand in the Davis Cup series since their first encounter in 1958.

The winners of the Asia-Oceania Zone Group One second round tie now advance to play for a place in the World Group next year.

Agence France-Presse