Summary Nick Kyrgios conceded just seven games in powering Australia to a 2-0 lead over the Czech Republic
MELBOURNE (AFP) - A focused Nick Kyrgios conceded just seven games in powering Australia to a 2-0 lead over the Czech Republic in the first day of their Davis Cup World Group tie on Friday.
The controversial world number 15 took just 95 minutes to reel off a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over the 157th-ranked Jan Satral and tighten Australia s grip on the hardcourt tie at Kooyong in Melbourne.
Rookie Jordan Thompson upset Czech number one Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles match in two hours and six minutes.
Thompson, 22 and ranked 65, made surprisingly light work of the 54th-ranked Vesely to sink the Czech Republic s hopes of splitting the opening day singles.
Kyrgios, who was fined US$5,500 for swearing and throwing his racquet after a stormy second round exit to Andreas Seppi at last month s Australian Open, showed no such behaviour under the watchful eye of Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt.
He maintained his focus, kept his emotions in check and sent down 21 aces.
"That s my main weapon," Kyrgios said. "I m always trying to develop that part of my game. That s what I m aiming to do every match."
The big-hitting Kyrgios overwhelmed the hapless Satral although the Australian needed six match points to finally put away the Czech.
Kyrgios said it wasn t as easy to win against a rookie opponent as some expected.
"I had a week in Miami (after the Australian Open) and flew back so I didn t have that long to prepare -- about five days," he told reporters.
"There were some pre-match nerves. I haven t played that many matches in 2017.
"It s never easy playing a guy you don t know that well. He had nothing to lose."
Kyrgios improved his record to 5-3 in singles rubbers against Satral, who was making his Davis Cup debut.
- Tough for us -
Australia can wrap up the tie with victory in Saturday s pivotal doubles through the pairing of John Peers and Sam Groth.
Doubles specialist Peers is fresh off a Grand Slam title win at the Australian Open, while Groth reached the quarter-finals of the men s doubles in Melbourne.
Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil said former world number eight Radek Stepanek was in doubt for the doubles with an unspecified injury.
Stepanek, 38, has a history of back problems which almost ended his career in 2014.
"It s a difficult situation for us because Australia has a very good doubles team and Radek is not playing because yesterday (Thursday) he get injured a little bit so it s tough for us," Navratil said.
Thompson was handed his debut by captain Hewitt after the 27th-ranked Bernard Tomic made himself unavailable, citing scheduling issues, while Vesely took over as the top-ranked Czech player following the unavailability of world number 10 Tomas Berdych.
The young Australian began well with a break in the opening game and had few problems with the shaky Czech left-hander making five service breaks.
"It s the biggest moment in my career, the summer has been pretty good, but playing for your country is amazing and getting us off to a 1-0 lead is even better," Thompson said.
"There were some nerves at the start, but I was just glad the balls were coming off the racquet nicely."
It is the eighth meeting in the Davis Cup for the two nations, with Australia leading 7-1.
Australia won their last meeting 3-2 at the same stage two years ago in Ostrava.
