Yoshihito Nishioka and Taro Daniel gave Japan a commanding 2-0 lead in its Davis Cup World Group I playoff tie against Poland on Saturday, cruising to straight-sets wins in their opening singles rubbers.

Nishioka dominated Daniel Michalski 6-3, 6-2 before Daniel saw off Kacper Zuk 6-3, 6-4 at Bourbon Beans Dome in Miki, Hyogo Prefecture.

Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka plays a shot against Daniel Michalski of Poland in their singles match on the opening day of a Davis Cup World Group I playoff tie at at Bourbon Beans Dome in Miki, Hyogo Prefecture on Feb. 4, 2023. (Kyodo)

Coming off his career-best Grand Slam result at January's Australian Open, where he reached the last 16, world No. 33 Nishioka took just 71 minutes to dispatch No. 273 Michalski.

"I feel confident that if I play the way I usually do, I won't have a problem," said Nishioka, who did not concede a break. "The level of my play has gone up a lot."

Needing only 70 minutes to wrap up the second rubber against No. 255 Zuk, the 108th-ranked Daniel said he was happy to play after the in-form Nishioka.

Japan's Taro Daniel plays a shot against Kacper Zuk of Poland in their singles match on the opening day of a Davis Cup World Group I playoff tie at at Bourbon Beans Dome in Miki, Hyogo Prefecture on Feb. 4, 2023. (Kyodo)

"He is in really good form right now, so in that situation, not everything depends on me," Daniel said.

Ben McLachlan and Yosuke Watanuki will meet Lukasz Kubot and Jan Zielinski in doubles on Sunday before the scheduled reverse singles rubbers.


Related coverage:

Japan mulls People's Honor Award for wheelchair tennis player Kunieda

Tennis: Aoyama, Shibahara lose Australian Open women's doubles final

Tennis: Nishioka stopped by Khachanov in Australian Open 4th round