Davis Cup: Jan Hajek puts Czech Republic in front

Jan Hajek of Davis Cup holders the Czech Republic lifted his team 1-0 up against the hosts Kazakhstan in Astana on Friday, beating local favourite Mikhail Kukushkin in straight sets on Friday.

Hajek beat the 25-year-old Kukushkin 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to level their head-to-head record in the competition at 1-1.

"It wasn't easy to win today even though I did it in straight sets," Hajek said. "I played according to the plan that we worked out for this match and it paid off."

The opponents both kept their serves until the eighth game, when 29-year-old Hajek made a break to take the opening set in 36 minutes.

In the second Hajek, who is currently 94th in the world, underlined his supremacy at the clay court of Astana tennis Academy breaking Kukushkin's serve twice again to gain a 2-0 advantage after one hour and nine minutes on court.

Hajec started the third set with an immediate break for a comfortable 2-0 lead, which he kept confidently through to take the set and the match in one hour 48 minutes.

Andrey Golubev takes on Lukas Rosol play in Friday's other match.

On Saturday Evgeny Korolev and Yuriy Schukin play Ivo Minar and Radel Stepanek in the doubles' rubber, while the reversed singles will complete the tie programme on Sunday.