Ai Sugiyama and Aiko Nakamura scored singles victories Saturday as Japan grabbed a 2-0 lead over Switzerland in the opening round of the Fed Cup World Group 2.
Sugiyama, ranked 23rd in the WTA rankings, defeated Stefanie Vogele 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in her first Fed Cup appearance in two years while Nakamura downed Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 at Ariake Colosseum.
Nursing a left thigh injury, Sugiyama cruised through the first set but fell off her game and had to battle back from a 4-1 deficit before narrowly losing the second set to the 16-year-old Vogele. The Japanese No. 1 took control again with a series of accurate shots in the final set.
"I knew I was in trouble after the second set and decided I had to crush her weapon," said Sugiyama, referring to the unranked Vogele's backhands.
"I'm relieved about the result but I can't be satisfied with this match. I wasn't able to fully concentrate with this injury to my left thigh," said Sugiyama, who hinted that she might sit out Sunday's reverse singles.
The 62nd-ranked Nakamura raced to an early 4-1 lead before taking the first set but the 16-year-old Bacsinszky, ranked 233rd in the world, leveled the match but lost the script in the decisive third set.
Japan only needs one more win in the three remaining rubber matches, including one doubles, to advance to a playoff against a World Group 1 team in July.