By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

NEW Zealand swept Pacific Oceania, 5-0, in the first round of the Asia/Oceania Davis Cup Group 2 tie over the weekend at the Edgar Center in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The win was in the bag for the Kiwis as early as last Saturday as they took a 3-0 lead.
The Islands were hoping to have a decent finish, but faltered as they lost the two reversed singles matches yesterday.
Samoa’s Juan Langton played in the first reversed singles match and met New Zealand’s No. 3 player Rubin Statham.
According to the Oceania Tennis Federation website, Langton played well at the start of the game before bowing to Statham in a tiebreak, 7-4 (6). The Kiwi had an easy win in the second set, 6-1, to give the home team a 4-0 lead.
The Cook Island’s Brett Baudinett played in the second reversed single match hoping to put the Islanders in the win column.
But he too faltered, as he was defeated in three sets, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 1-6.
The Islanders, which is captained by Jeff Race of the Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association, lost the chance to move into the second round when they lost the first two singles matches on Friday and the lone doubles game last Saturday.
The Marshall Island’s West Nott and the Islander’s No. 1 player bowed to Daniel King-Turner, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6.
Michael Leong was the second victim of the host, as the Solomon Island bet lost to Simon Rea, 3-6, 2-6, 2-6.
The Kiwis sealed their first round victory after King-Turner and Rea downed the tandem of Langton and Solomon Island’s Michael Leong, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
With the defeat, the Islands dropped to the losers’ bracket and must win their match either against Pakistan or the Philippines to remain in Group 2.
The Philippines was leading Pakistan, 2-1, at press time.
Another loss will relegate the Pacific Oceania team to Group 3 next year.