This year the Davis Cup is 110 years of age – the most prestigious tennis tournament for men, considered to as an unofficial team world championship. Racket masters of 125 countries, participating in all tournament echelons of the Cup this jubilee year, celebrate this date with their game.

Uzbekistan tennis players participating in the Davis Cup since 1994 have opened next season in the first group of Asia and Oceania zone with the home game against team of the Republic of Korea in Namangan on clay court, which was specially prepared under roof of the “Pakhlavon” sport arena. The competitor of Uzbekistan team, which played under patronage of UzGazOil company, was very strong: Korean tennis players participated in the World Group only a year ago – the elite division, which apart from Koreans themselves and Australians, which left it in 2007, only the teams of India and Japan represented the Asia and Oceania region.  And mastership of the Korean team leader Lee Khyun Thayk was best characterized by achievement of 36th position in the ATP rankings in August 2007.

But Uzbekistan players are also considerably different today from that young team, which lost to Korean racket masters two years ago in Seoul. Denis Istomin, 22, was the first from native men tennis players to enter the first hundred of the world strongest players. Farrukh Dustov of the same age has also matured and had to start the match with Lee Khyun Thayk as the lot determined.

Objectively, a young man ranked in the middle of the fifth hundred, did not have chances to defeat dangerous competitor. But, there have been many examples in the Davis Cup, when players, inspired by the team spirit displayed uncompromising resistance to the skillful favorites.  So did Farrukh, although lost, but gave the guests’ first racket three hour heat. The referee’s protocol registered: the match lasted 2 hours 59 minutes. And Lee had to play to the fullest in order to overcome uncompromising Uzbekistan player - 7/5, 7/6 (8), 6/4.

 “Farukh played very well, he showed all he could” - commented the game who settled the equality in the score by confident victory over Im Kyu Tay - 6/3, 6/2, 6/4.

And both players had to push themselves to limit on the next day: they spent more than three hours on the court in a key game in doubles. And with incredibly active fans’ support they finally scored the victory - 2/6, 6/2, 3/6, 6/3, 6/4.

The first seeds opened the match on the third day. Previously, Istomin lost to Lee thrice. But, he started well this time, which helped Denis later with appearance of confidence. “Three three-hour games influenced Lee, besides he played on unaccustomed surface” – noted Istomin after the game. “But anyway he showed good tennis, in order to defeat him you must show your best tennis. I served well here – I do not remember when I served as good as during these three days. Generally, it was a good game. And although I also prefer hard, I think that selection of clay court helped us”.

The match of the leaders of two teams was as vivid and exiting show as the doubles the day before. The Uzbek player rocked the swing by taking the first set. And the pendulum swung to his side in the fifth set: Istomin managed to make a break in the fourth game and kept advantage to the end. As a result – the victory - 6/3, 1/6, 6/3, 3/6, 6/3, that secured the way to the Cup’s second round to the national team of Uzbekistan. Having a chance to prove himself, Murad Inoyatov, entrusted by the captain of Uzbekistan national team Peter Lebed to play the final game against Young-Kyu Lim and a having a chance to prove himself, scored the overall victory - 3/6, 6/1, 6/3.

The Vice President of the Korea Tennis Association Jun-Ho Ri was objective in assessing the match result: “The strongest wins in sport. Lee demonstrated very professional game during these three days. But Istomin was a bit better today. Certainly, it is much more comfortable to play at home. But I do not have any claims either to public who supported very correctly or to the organizers who conducted the tournament very professionally”.

The disappointed Korean players will now have to defend their positions in the first group in the match with Chinese tennis players, who even did not score in the game with Japan players in Osaka. And the team of Japan became the next competitor of Uzbekistan national team. 

Strange though it may seem, but the Davis Cup’s paths brought these teams together only twice and in the last century. In 1997, Japanese players scored the victory 3:2 in Tashkent, and in 1999 Uzbekistan players gained revenge with the same score in Fukushima. But there were other players – only veteran Guchy Motomura is still in sport from that squad. The court is to show who is stronger today.