Arthurs gives Australia 1-0 lead over Morocco
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-24 14:25

Wayne Arthurs rode his booming serve to a 7-6 6-4 6-3 victory over Mounir El Aarej to give Australia a 1-0 lead over Morocco in their Davis Cup World Group playoff at Perth's Royal Kings Park on Friday.

 The left-handed Arthurs fired 24 aces to overwhelm the lowly-ranked Moroccan.

 El Aarej, ranked 428th in the world, held a set point in the opening tiebreak but failed to convert his lone opportunity as the Australian stamped his control on the match.

 Better suited by the grass surface, Arthurs broke El Aarej's serve for the first time in the second set before breaking him twice more in the third.

 US Open runner-up Lleyton Hewitt was due to play Mehdi Tahiri in Friday's second singles rubber.

 Hewitt has already won 24 Davis Cup singles matches and needs one more to eclipse Adrian Quist's Australian record established in the 1930s and 40s.

 Australia are strong favourites to win the best-of-five tie and remain in the World Group after Morocco's two best players, Hicham Arazi and Younes El Aynaoui, withdrew through injury.

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