16 September 2016 | tennis.com.au

Bernard Tomic has emulated compatriot Nick Kyrgios with a straight-sets victory in his Davis Cup match in Sydney on Friday.

Playing in the second singles rubber at Ken Rosewall Arena, Tomic dismissed Slovak Jozef Kovalik 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4.

After a tight first set, Tomic broke the world No.123 early in both the second and third sets to take command of the match.

The victory came hot on the heels of Nick Kyrgios’ straight-sets win over Andrej Martin in the opening rubber.

Australia now leads 2-0 in the Play-off tie; victory in Saturday’s doubles would seal a 3-0 victory and a place in the Davis Cup World Group in 2017.

Kyrgios produced a clinical performance to get Australia off to the best possible start.

He brushed aside Martin 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the opening singles rubber of the tie at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre.

Despite early in the third set suffering a blood nose and falling behind a service break, Kyrgios stormed back to seal victory in one hour and 42 minutes.

The world No.15 spent much of the final set with a tissue up his left nostril and admitted to relief at overcoming the irritation to collect his first Davis Cup point for Australia in two years.

“It was a bit of a hassle,” Kyrgios said.

“Everyone expects me to go out there and towel the guy but it’s never as easy as that.

“I thought he played some great tennis today. He actually adapted really well to the grass. He was slicing and was very comfortable on it and that third set definitely wasn’t easy.”

Kyrgios bounced back from the disappointment of dropping serve to love in the seventh game of the match to break Martin for a second time and pocket the opening set in just 25 minutes.

He broke the Slovak’s serve for a third straight game to seize the early advantage in the second set and secured a two-set lead with his fifth ace.

The Australian No.1 dropped serve immediately after requiring treatment for his nose bleed to fall behind 3-1 in the third set.

But he quickly regained control to reel off four straight games to take the match.