Tennis: Sweden in command

SWEDEN, THE Davis Cup holders, took the upper hand in their world group semi-final against Spain yesterday by winning both the opening day singles to lead 2-0.

Roared on by a boisterous Stockholm crowd, Jonas Bjorkman beat Alex Corretja 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 and then Thomas Johansson defeated Carlos Moya 7-5, 7-6, 7-6.

Bjorkman and Corretja exchanged service break at the start of their match, but once the Swede abandoned the baseline he took control, aside from his fourth set lapse.

Johansson, a surprise choice as the second singles player, then played virtually flawless tennis in his first appearnce in the competition to beat the French Open champion.

In the other semi-final in Milwaukee, Andrea Gaudenzi gave Italy a 1- 0 lead over the United States by edging Jan-Michael Gambill in four sets in the opening singles match.