Bermuda will have to produce a comeback for the ages if they are to come out on top in their historic Davis Cup World Group II tie with Mexico.

In front of a loud, capacity crowd at WER Joell Tennis Stadium, Daniel Phillips was beaten 6-4, 6-1 by Alan Magadán in the opening match before Trey Mallory fell to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat to Alex Hernandez.

The 2-0 deficit means Bermuda will have to win all three remaining matches on Sunday if they are to make it to the World Group I play-offs.

Despite results not going their way on the opening day, Bermuda captain Ricky Mallory was pleased with the courageous showing from his two players against higher-ranked opposition.

“I feel that these two warriors played exceptional matches,” Mallory said.

“They were right there in the front set, toe-to-toe with the Mexican powerhouse. First set could have been either way for these guys.

“I feel that if they were match fit at this level, those matches could have gone either way.

“That’s the only difference and you can see that those guys are willing to stay out there and grind, so if these guys are able to play more matches at that level, they’ll be right there.”

Taking to the court first, the day started well for Phillips, who dropped only one point in his first service game, but he lost the next five games and was broken twice as Magadán raced into a 5-1 lead.

The Bermudian gamely fought back to win the next three games and played some inspired tennis, including breaking his opponent’s serve for the first time, to bring the score back to 5-4 and set up a tense conclusion to the first set.

But Magadán held his nerve in the tense atmosphere to win a closely fought tenth game and take the first set 6-4.

The Mexican player, ranked 514th in the world and nearly 1,000 places higher than the Bermudian, then continued to apply the pressure at the start of the second set.

The opening game of what turned out to be the concluding set was a battle, going to deuce before Magadán broke Phillips’s serve and with that the trajectory of the match was in little doubt.

For all his effort, Phillips was unable to wrestle the momentum back, with Magadán breaking the home favourite’s serve on a couple more occasions to take the second set 6-1.

“I fought hard and it was nice having the home support behind me,” Phillips said.

“It didn’t go the way I wanted to, but you can’t really control the result, just the effort you put into it.

“In the first set when we started off, I was a little shaky since it was the first time playing and representing my country on home soil.

“But I really was trying not to focus on that. I just focused on finding my game, finding my rhythm within the match, which is kind of big.

“I didn’t know much about this guy that I played against. I tried to give myself the first one or two games to find my ball and how the match is going to go.

“I did feel as he got up in the first set that the nerves kind of wore off. I found a different type of spirit where I can play the tennis that I want to play and fight the way I want to go for each ball.

“I felt like that really went well and I almost had a chance to fully come back in the first set.”

After the game, Magadán revealed his delight at picking up Mexico’s first point but found time to praise Phillips’s play.

“It was pretty hot and we expected a tough match,” Magadán said.

“Daniel is a good college player and it’s tough to play away from home. We knew it was going to be tough but we kept our mindset strong.

“It was a difficult match for both of us. He was playing in a Davis Cup match being held at home for the first time in 30 years, it’s not easy for him to be No 1 in Bermuda and play at home.

“I felt he played a good match, I played a good match but today I was just a little better. The result went my way but that doesn’t mean tomorrow will be the same and I will have to come out and work just as hard.”

Mallory started the game well and came close to breaking Hernández in just the second game of the match, with the Mexican taken to three deuces before making it onto the scoreboard and levelling the opening set at 1-1 after Mallory had won his first service game to love.

An even match was characterised by some long rallies but it was in the seventh game that Hernández made the decisive move, picking up the only break of the set.

In similar fashion to the opening match Hernández picked up an early break in the second set in another game with multiple deuces to go 2-1 up and put Mallory and Bermuda under pressure.

Mallory, to his credit, gave it his all with the next two games again featuring multiple deuces but the Mexican just came out on top, winning the next three games before Mallory held his serve to make it 5-2.

However, there was to be no comeback with Hernández serving it out to give Mexico a strong lead heading into day two.

“I’m pleased with the way I played,” Mallory said.

“I think match fitness is more important than the actual tennis itself. I feel if we were all fitter, I think we could have won and we could have seen a different score.

“I was definitely nervous, but you just have to learn how to deal with it. I’ve had matches where I’ve played really bad.

“I didn’t want to have any regrets on court. I just wanted to leave it all out there from beginning to finish.”

The action gets under way at 10am on Sunday with the doubles rubber as Phillips and Mallory put their unbeaten Davis Cup record on the line against Magadán and Luis Álvarez, with Bermuda needing nothing short of victory to keep the tie alive.

“Trey and I are going to bring our energy in the doubles,” Phillips said.

“We’re going to go after it as that’s what we do the best. We have a good combination where he’s eyes on fire on the court, so I’m bringing that energy, but he brings me back down and it mixes well.

“We’re going to support each other. We’re going to have the island support behind us and our families.

“We’re just going to keep representing Bermuda the best we know how with our attitude and effort.”