Cameron Norrie ensured Great Britain will start day two of their Davis Cup Finals qualifier level against Colombia by defeating Nicolas Barrientos.
British number one Norrie overcame the challenge of playing at altitude on clay in Bogota to win 6-2 7-5.
World number 30 Dan Evans failed to give the visitors a winning start as he fell to a surprise 6-2 2-6 6-4 loss to the 253rd-ranked Nicolas Mejia.
Ten-time winners GB are bidding to reach September’s group stage.
Captain Leon Smith claimed the tie in Colombia, played using pressureless balls to cope with an altitude of 2,566m, was the “most complicated” his squad could have drawn.
That proved to be the case in Friday’s opener as the decision to arrive a week early in preparation was not enough to help Evans, who had previously warned that the team must be prepared to win “ugly” at the Pueblo Viejo Country Club.
It meant he handed over to Norrie with the British number one requiring victory to prevent GB facing three must-win match-ups on the second day of the contest.
Fortunately for his team – which also includes Jack Draper, Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury – Norrie’s quality told against an opponent ranked outside the world’s top 500.
The world number 11 was able to quieten the previously raucous home support as he comfortably took the first set with a double break of serve.
The Briton maintained that momentum with another break to begin the second – but Barrientos responded immediately before seeing five more break points pass in game four.
With his opponent in the ascendancy Norrie again escaped to level at 3-3, before sealing an ultimately decisive break in game 11 and serving out to earn a crucial point for his nation.
“It’s always difficult playing away and with the altitude and this surface,” Norrie said.
“But I really enjoyed the atmosphere and I was able to put enough balls in the court to get over the line. [Saturday] is a big day, so we’re looking forward to that.”
BBC