Davis Cup 2019 - Defending champions France get off the mark with victory over Japan

Doubles player Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who with Nicolas Mahut, made sure top seeds France beat Japan 2-1 on Tuesday.

Nicolas Mahut of France celebrates during Day 2 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 19, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

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The singles had been shared with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga thrashing Uchiyama 6-2 6-1 before world number 10 Gael Monfils surprisingly lost in straight sets to Yoshihito Nishioka.

France's two-time Davis Cup winner Fabrice Santoro said the lack of atmosphere had clearly effected Monfils.

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In the day's other early ties, Argentina beat Chile 3-0 in Group C in front of fans wearing the famous blue and white.

Guido Pella eased past Chile's Nicolas Jarry 6-4 6-3 before Diego Schwartzman crushed Cristian Garin 6-2 6-2.

In Group E Kazakhstan edged past the Netherlands 2-1 thanks to a doubles win for Mikhail Kukushkin and Alexander Bublik over Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer.

Each tie consists of two singles and one doubles. The six group winners plus two best runners-up go on to the knockout rounds later in the week. Hosts Spain face Russia later.

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