Davis Cup Roundup : Pernfors Leads Swedes to Win

Sweden clinched a victory in the first round of the world group Davis Cup competition when Mikael Pernfors defeated Italy’s Massimiliano Narducci, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-7, 6-3, Sunday at Malmo, Sweden.

Pernfors, who apparently suffered leg cramps in third set, gave Sweden a 3-1 lead in the best-of-five competition.

Sweden’s Jonas Svensson made it 4-1, defeating Omar Camporese, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in a match shortened to best-of-three sets.

In the second round, Sweden will play Austria in Vienna April 7-9.

At Marbella, Spain, Jorge Arrese beat Mexico’s Francisco Maciel, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, to give Spain a 3-2 victory in first-round competition.