UAE tennis aces slump to another loss

Dubai: The UAE crashed to their second straight defeat when they succumbed 3-0 to Syria on the second day of the Asia/Oceania Group III Davis Cup event in Tehran.

Romain Radwan gave Syria a quick start with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hamad Abbas Al Janahi. Then Issam Tawil put the issue beyond doubt with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Mahmoud Nader.

In the inconsequential doubles, Hayan Marouf and Majdi Salim secured a 6-2, 6-3 win over Mahmoud Nader and Hamad Abbas Al Janahi.

The UAE are next scheduled to play Vietnam, and only a win will ensure they can at least hope to stay in Group III.

Pakistan secured a rousing 3-0 over Vietnam to live up to expectations as major contenders for a promotion to Group II.

In Group A, hosts Iran scored their second win on the trot with a 2-1 win over Sri Lanka, while Malaysia got their first victory with a 2-1 win over Tajikistan.

The top two nations from each group will advance to a further round-robin pool of four, from which the teams finishing first and second will get a promotion to Group II in 2009.