Tennis Davis CupA most unusual thing happened in the Davis Cup at Fitzwilliam yesterday. Kevin Sorensen went from apex to base in terms of opponents for, after playing and beating the highest ranked player in the event the previous day, he was obliged to readjust his sights and perform against Iceland's unranked team manager, Raj Bonifacius.

Bonifacius (36), whose ambitions in Davis Cup have long since ended, but as team captain, and Iceland's number two, he bravely stepped into the breach in order to rest his top player for the weekend relegation ties.

Sorensen, arguably the best player in the event, did not know what to expect or how to react but, acting on advice from captain Owen Casey, he took the match seriously and inevitably won in straight sets.

"It was a different situation for me after my victory over Sargis Sargsian, the highest ranked player I ever beat. You tend to get tired mentally after such a crunch match. Still, my attitude helped me for every time I go out on court, no matter who is on the opposite side of the net, I want to play my best," said Sorensen.

But before the match had ran to its conclusion in just over an hour, American-born Bonifacius showed that he is a fair operator on court even though he could manage only three games. However, he forced Sorensen to save the odd break point and threatened in deuce situations.

Earlier, Limerick's Conor Niland got his big chance and he grabbed it to demolish the challenge of Andri Jonsson in 37 minutes flat 6-0 6-0. It was a truly chastening experience for the 21-year-old Icelandic player who was sometimes seen to acknowledge Niland's stunning forehand, backhand and service winners.

The visitor was incapable of coping with the Irish number four's awesome play. "I prepared a lot for this chance and I was intent on making the most of it," said Niland. He added: "Basically I was on a roll after winning the first few games."

The talented Limerick star dropped only a dozen points in the brief encounter and lost only four points on serve, two of them double faults.

Later Niland partnered David O'Connell in a doubles victory over Jonsson and Halldorsson 6-2 6-0. Today's second phase round-robin matches for promotion to group two of the Euro African Zone are; Ireland v Cyprus and Tunisia v Armenia. In the relegation series Iceland take on Nigeria and Tunisia face San Marino.