Richard Gasquet beat Robin Haase in four sets today ©Getty Images

Richard Gasquet beat Robin Haase in four sets today to ensure defending champions France are level with The Netherlands after the opening day of the Davis Cup World Cup first-round tie in Albertville.

The world number 33 delighted the home crowd with a 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 win at the Halle Olympique.

It came after world number 369 Thiemo de Bakker had given the Dutch a 1-0 lead by upsetting world number 25 Adrian Mannarino in a 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.

The doubles rubber is scheduled to take place tomorrow with France’s Pierre Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut meeting The Netherlands' Matwe Middelkoop and Jean-Julien Rojer.

The two other singles rubbers, due to be held on Sunday (February 4), pit Lucas Pouille against Haase and Gasquet against De Bakker.

Among the other ties to finish 1-1 after day one was that between Great Britain and Spain in Marbella.

Britain's Cameron Norrie came from two sets down to stun Roberto Bautista Agut and level the contest. 

Norrie, the world number 114, triumphed 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 against the world number 23.

Earlier, world number 21 Albert Ramos Viñolas put the hosts into the lead with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 win over Liam Broady.

Cameron Norrie defied the odds to beat Roberto Bautista Agut and bring Great Britain back on level terms with Spain ©Getty Images
Cameron Norrie defied the odds to beat Roberto Bautista Agut and bring Great Britain back on level terms with Spain ©Getty Images

Other matches level at 1-1 are those between Italy and Japan in Morioka, Australia and Germany in Brisbane, and Canada and Croatia in Osijek.

Fabio Fognini beat Taro Daniel 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to give Italy the advantage against Japan before Yūichi Sugita defeated Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.

Germany went ahead against Australia thanks to Alexander Zverev’s 7-5, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 victory over Alex de Minaur, but Nick Kyrgios restored parity by comfortably overcoming Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Denis Shapovalov brought Canada level with Croatia, beating Viktor Galovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 after Borna Coric had defeated Vasek Pospisil 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. 

Kazakhstan, meanwhile, are 2-0 up against Switzerland in Astana after Dmitry Popko beat Henri Laaksonen 6-2, 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 and Mikhail Kukushkin defeated Adrian Bodmer 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

Also 2-0 to the good are 2017 runners-up Belgium against Hungary and the United States against Serbia.

Belgium's lead has been established after Ruben Bemelmans beat Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 and David Goffin defeated Attila Balazs 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 in Liège.

As for the US, their victories in Niš came courtesy of Sam Querrey and John Isner with the former beating Laslo Djere 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 and the latter defeating Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.

The doubles rubbers in all ties are due to take place tomorrow.