The Pacific Oceania men's tennis team have suffered a narrow defeat against Vietnam in their opening Davis Cup tie in Jordan.
Colin Sinclair (L) is the Pacific Oceania number one, with Heimanarii Lai San and Clement Mainguy vying for the number two spot and to be Brett Baudinet's doubles partner. Photo: Supplied/Oceania Tennis
Playing in his first Davis Cup tie, Vanuatu's Clement Mainguy won the first set 6-4 against Linh Giang Trinh in the opening singles rubber but dropped the second 6-3.
The 18 year-old had match point in the deciding set but was eventually pipped 7-5 by his more experienced opponent.
Pacific Oceania Team captain Richard Breen said Mainguy had "a forehand down the line that just tipped the top of the net and fell to the wrong side of the court on match point, so the winning of the match was a matter of millimetres."
Colin Sinclair from the Northern Marianas also won the first set 6-4 in the next match against Vietnamese number one Nam Hoang Ly.
The Pacific Games gold medallist dropped the second set 6-4 but won the third 6-4 to secure his eighth singles win in nine Davis Cup matches.
Heimanarii Lai San, Brett Baudinet, Colin Sinclair and Clement Mainguy in Jordan. Photo: Supplied/Oceania Tennis
The decisive doubles clash also went to three sets, with Sinclair and Brett Baudinet from the Cook Islands dropping the first 6-4, winning the second 6-3 before losing the deciding set 6-3.
The Pacific Oceania Team had 17 break point opportunities in the match but could only covert one in their favour.
Pacific Oceania will face Qatar in their final pool match on Friday, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the final play-offs for promotion to Asia Oceania Group Two.
