Almagro, Ferrer set the ball rolling

Nicolas Almagro got Spain, seeking their fourth win in five years, off to a winning start yesterday in their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final at home to Austria.

Even in the absence of Rafael Nadal, Spain are hot favourites to advance and Almagro gave them the perfect early tonic by whipping Melzer 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

The one-way traffic continued as world number five David Ferrer, Spanish number one in the absence of Nadal, crushed Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 to take the hosts to the brink of the semi-finals.

Almagro had been conscious of Melzer’s ability coming into the game with his opponent having won in straight sets in their last meeting in Monte Carlo last year.

However, the Spaniard was a cut above, firing down nine aces to win in an hour and 56 minutes in Castellon.

The world number 12 gave an indication of what was to come in the opening game when he held three break points and although he failed to convert any, Almagro broke Melzer in the second game.

From then on it was all Almagro, who allowed his opponent only one more game before going on a seven-game winning streak to take the first set in just 33 minutes.

Doubles tandem Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez can wrap up victory for the defending champions ahead of time if they can see off Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya today.

Quarter-finals: France vs US 1-1; Spain lead Austria 2-0; Czech Republic vs Serbia 1-1; Croatia lead Argentina 1-0.