Kolkata: True to expectations Leander Paes scripted an authoritative straight set victory over New Zealand's Marc Nielsen in the opening singles to give India a 1-0 lead in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania group-1 second round tie at the South Club lawns here on Friday.

Taking full advantage of the home conditions Paes beat the New Zealander by 6-1, 7- 6, 6-2 in little less than two hours.

With the support of the home crowd behind him Paes took off in a whirlwind fashion by breaking the New Zealander in the opening game and then following up with two more break points in the 5th and 7th games to clinch the first set in less than half an hour.

Beginning the match in a sensational note Paes demolished his opponent in the opening game of the day with a break point taking full advantage of a tentative Nielsen, who double faulted to concede the game.

The next three games went into serves but in the 5th game Paes was at his best unleashing a flurry of spectacular shots to break his opponent who failed to get any point.

Peas clinched the set in the 7th game when he fired a delightful down the line passing shot to get a break point before Nielsen put the next rally into the net.

With the scorching sun and humidity troubling him, Nielsen took time to settle down as he failed to put up any fight in the opening set.

But the second set saw the Kiwi raise his game by several notches as he lifted his serve and looked more agile on the court. Paes tried his best to put pressure on Nielsen's serve in the second game gaining three break points but the New Zealander proved equal to the task and saved each of them.

The Indian number one, however, continued his brilliant form as he fired three aces in the third game to retain the serve. Nielsen, was also proving equal to the task as he once again foiled an attempt by Paes to break his service in the 8th game which went to deuce.

With both the players managing to hold on to their serves the set rolled into tie- break where Paes raced to a 3-1 lead. The Indian won the next point by wrong footing Nielsen and then followed it up with a lightening passing shot to move ahead 5-1.

After winning the next point, Paes sealed the set as Nielsen put a return into the net.

The third set saw the heat and humidity taking its toll on the New Zealander as he looked totally exhausted and taking full advantage of this Paes broke him in the 3rd and 7th games.

After both the players held on their first serves in the third set, the next game saw Paes winning the first three with Nielsen serving. The New Zealander salvaged the first two points but he again lobbed into the net to give the Indian another break point.

By this time Nielsen was unable to move around the court properly and thus Paes once again broke him in the 7th game to take 5-2 lead in the set.

The last game of the match was almost a no-contest as Paes raced to 40-0 lead and finally clinched the match when Nielsen hit out a return.

The Indian ace fired 13 aces during the entire match which lasted 118 minutes as against only three by Nielsen.

The New Zealander, who was playing from the baseline in the first set, tried to come up to the net in the next two sets to match the superior game-play of Paes but his net play failed him.

"Davis Cup is something where I look forward to produce my best and I am very happy with my performance today," a relaxed Paes said immediately after the match.

He further said that in the second set he faced tough resistance from the New Zealander, "but it was satisfying to finally prevail and win the match in straight sets".

"With one match under our belt we look forward to win the remaining matches to clinch the tie for us," Paes said.

PTI