Summary Rafael Nadal put Spain 2-0 up against Ukraine in their Davis Cup World Group play-off.
PARIS (AFP) - Rafael Nadal showed no hint of a US Open hangover as he crushed Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-0, 6-0, 6-4 to put Spain 2-0 up on Ukraine in their Davis Cup World Group play-off in Madrid on Friday.
The world number two and new US Open champion returned to action less than four days after securing a second success at Flushing Meadows, and a 13th Grand Slam in total.
Yet he showed no signs of fatigue as he mastered his favourite clay surface and in so doing inflicted a humiliating defeat on the world 92nd ranked player who dumped Roger Federer out of Wimbledon in July.
"It is a positive moment and a very special year for me, arguably the best," Nadal said.
"I have played in 11 finals and won 10 tournaments so I can t ask for more.
"I feel comfortable, I feel like I am playing well but from experience I know they are moments that come and go and I have to enjoy them."
Earlier, Fernando Verdasco had battled back from a set down to beat world number 40 Alexandr Dolgopolov 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to put Spain firmly in command.
And such is Nadal s desire to kill the tie off that he has chosen to pair up with Marc Lopez for Saturday s doubles clash.
"I am here to try and help the team. Once I have made the effort to come here, to play the doubles is only a small extra effort.
"Hopefully we can finish the match tomorrow and then I can rest on Sunday."
Another player to dish out a tennis lesson was Britain s Andy Murray, who thumped 16-year-old Borna Coric 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 as Croatia and Britain finished the day tied at 1-1 in Umag.
The US Open junior champion initially caused Britain s world number three problems but from 3-3 in the first set, Murray won nine games in a row to take complete control.
"I played ... to exhaust him since I knew it would be difficult for him to play senior tennis given that until yesterday he was in junior tennis," said the 26-year-old Wimbledon and Olympic champion.
"He is very talented and it was not easy to play against him."
However, his British teammate Daniel Evans was then well beaten 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 by Ivan Dodig as Croatia drew level.
In other play-off ties Switzerland s Stanislas Wawrinka, fresh from his semi-final run at the US Open, made a flying start to his country s meeting against lowly Ecuador in Neuchatel.
World number 10 Wawrinka beat Emilio Gomez, ranked 340th, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.
Long overshadowed by Swiss icon Roger Federer, who is four years his senior, Wawrinka is now squarely in the limelight thanks to a run of solid performances.
World number 164 Marco Chiudinelli then made it 2-0 for Switzerland with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) win over Julio Cesar Campozano, 295th in the ATP rankings.
Philipp Kohlschreiber and Florian Mayer put Germany in control of their clash with Brazil.
Kohlschreiber beat Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 while Mayer coasted to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 success against Tomaz Bellucci.
In a match that started Thursday, Israel went 2-1 up on Belgium after Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram beat Steve Darcis and Olivier Rochus 6-3, 5-7, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the doubles.
The Netherlands took a 2-0 lead over Austria as Robin Haase beat Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, and Thiemo de Bakker defeated Jurgen Melzer 5-7, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
