opening Davis Cup match in Honduras yesterday.

A bizarre neck injury to number two singles player Ricky Mallory saw 20-year-old Bascome thrown into the fray to play the opening singles rubber.

And the student of Temple University, Philadelphia, playing only his second Davis Cup singles match, came through with flying colours to beat Ives Sinson in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.

After number one singles player James Collieson then went down to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat against Kane Easter, Bascome partnered the fit-again Mallory to a victory in the decisive doubles rubber against a team who beat Bermuda in last year's event in Trinidad.

Bascome had started the day expecting to play only doubles, but soon realised he would be asked to open the Island's first of six ties in six days.

"At breakfast time, Ricky said his neck hurt and (captain) Steve (Bean) said I might have to play in the first singles,'' said Bascome.

"I did not feel too nervous but I started off not serving very well and I lost my first two service games.

"But then I settled down and I think I played the big points well. I was playing a serve-and-volleyer and instead of hitting my returns hard, I just tried to chip them low at his feet and it seemed to work well.'' Bascome felt he had come on in leaps and bounds since last year when he was a Davis Cup rookie.

"Last year I was trying to hit the cover off the ball, but now I am playing much more patiently. I've played a lot of collegiate tennis with Temple and that has helped me a lot.'' Experienced campaigner Mallory excels in playing the nerve-racking opening rubber. Last year, he won four out of five playing first.

"I just woke up with a sore neck,'' said Mallory. "I was raring to go like last year and it was a big disappointment.

"I had a couple of massages from the physio and after the second one I felt much better and was able to give the doubles a go.'' Bean had planned to use partner Dean Mello with Bascome, but when Mallory declared himself fit, he got the nod.

The Bermudian pair defeated Kane Easter and Jonathan Baptiste 6-4, 6-4.

It got the team off to a fast start as they bid for promotion from American Zone Group IV.

Today, they are expecting a tough test from hosts Honduras, who were relegated from Group III last year.

James Collieson: suffered Bermuda's only defeat in yesterday's Davis Cup opener.