Host Thailand had won the tie on Saturday with victory in the doubles, but the Uzbekistan players refused to go home winless yesterday with unfancied Sarvar Ikramov beating the injured Sonchat Ratiwatana |7-6 (7-3) 6-0.

The Kingdom ended the second round tie of the Zone Asia/Oceania Qualifying Group I with a 4-1 victory. The final point for Thailand came from accomplished doubles specialist Sanchai Ratiwatana, who showed he's no mug at singles by winning a three set battle with teenager Murad Inoyatov 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2) after two hours and 26 minutes.

Thailand decided to rest Paradorn Srichaphan, who has a sore throat, and Danai Udomchoke in the final two rubbers which were reduced to the best of three sets.

After building a commanding lead at 4-2 in the first set, Sonchat was no more a threat to Ikramov due to a wrist injury. He slept awkwardly on his right hand the night before and was well aware prior to the match that things could go wrong for him.

"I decided to play because it was my responsibility to finish the match. I just couldn't control the balls as the match went on, and Ikramov hit the balls hard,'' said Sonchat who teamed up with brother Sanchai to beat Vadim Kutsenko and Inoyatov in Saturday's doubles rubber.

It was a big relief for the Uzbek tourists to break the ice after trailing Thailand 3-0 in the first two days.

"I'm happy to win the first point for my team. I needed to win the match and I played quite well,'' said Ikramov, ranked only 860 in the world.

April 13 is the date for the play-offs drawing ceremony. Thailand will play one of the World Group first round losers: Australia, Austria, Russia, Morocco, Romania, Croatia, Canada and the Czech Republic, who beat Thailand 4-1 last year in Nonthaburi.

Thailand has never won in the elite group competition in the past two years. Could it be third time lucky this year?

"Hopefully," team captain Chanachai Srichaparn said yesterday. "However, now our players will go back to their professional tours which could be considered as a kind of practice. We will have a brief team practice after they are freed from the tours which should be about one week before the play-off stage."