Almagro, Ferrer set Spanish ball rolling

Nicolas Almagro got Spain, seeking their fourth win in five years, off to a winning start today in their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final at home to Austria.

Nicolas Almagro got Spain, seeking their fourth win in five years, off to a winning start on Friday in their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final at home to Austria.

Even in the absence of Rafael Nadal, Spain are hot favourites to advance and Almagro gave them the perfect early tonic by whipping Melzer 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

The one-way traffic continued as world number five David Ferrer, Spanish number one in the absence of Nadal, crushed Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 to take the hosts to the brink of the semi-finals.

Doubles tandem Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez can wrap up victory for the defending champions ahead of time if they can see off Austrian counterparts Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya on Saturday which would render academic Sunday reverse singles matches between Ferrer and Melzer and Almagro and Haider-Maurer.