BBC SPORT | Tennis | Mixed start for Britain

Great Britain 1-1 Thailand

Tim Henman and Paradorn Srichaphan lived up to their billing as the only world-class players on view as the first day of the Davis Cup World Group qualifier in Birmingham ended level.

British number one Henman overcame a shaky start in the first match to beat Danai Udomchoke 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 and give Great Britain the lead.

Mentally it's difficult to have the belief and the trust in my shoulder that it's better

Tim Henman

But world number 31 Paradorn Srichaphan demolished Martin Lee 6-0 7-6 6-2 in the second match to bring Thailand back on terms.

Henman went into his match with doubts surrounding his fitness after battling with a shoulder problem.

And he looked to be nursing the injury in the early stages as he made hard work of his opening service game, and then dropped the second.

Gamewatch: Henman v Udomchoke

That proved enough to give the Thai the opening set as he served out comfortably, and the Birmingham crowd became distinctly edgy.

But the gulf in class between the world number five and Udomchoke, ranked 204, became apparent when Henman stepped up his game in the second set.

A double-fault in the second game handed Henman his first break and he raced to a 3-0 lead, and ultimately the set.

Danai Udomchoke found the gap in class too great
Finally, Udomchoke 's resistance was broken, and he immediately fell three games behind in the following two sets as Henman eased to victory.

"I do feel cautious," said Henman afterwards.

"Mentally it's difficult to have the belief and the trust in my shoulder that it's better, and I should do because I've been pushing it harder and harder and had no reaction.

"But still sometimes when I stand up to the line and I'm going for my serve a bit more I'm waiting for that to happen, which makes it a little bit difficult.

"But the more I play without pain I'm sure I'll get rid of that."

In the second match, Lee looked out of his depth much of the time as Srichaphan strolled to victory without ever producing his best.

Gamewatch: Srichaphan v Lee

The first set was a particular embarrassment for the Briton, who managed just five points as Srichaphan stormed 6-0 ahead.

Photo Gallery: See this match in pictures

Lee raised his game briefly in the second set but was broken back when serving at 5-4, and after he lost the tie-break that followed there was no way back.

With the tie in the balance, the pressure will be on Tim Henman and Miles Maclagan when they take on Narathorn Srichaphan and Wittaya Samrej in Saturday's doubles.


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