LONDON -- A vastly outclassed British Davis Cup team face an embarrassing whitewash while under-strength champions Russia came back from a first match defeat to level 1-1 after the opening day of Davis Cup action.

But top-seeded France took a firm grip of their first round match with Romania to lead 2-0.

Britain's injury-ravaged team -- missing Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski -- is propped up by 457th-ranked Alex Bogdanovic and 331st-ranked Alan Mackin.

Against world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt and powerhouse Mark Philippoussis, the pair were cannon fodder.

Philippoussis pounded Mackin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 while Hewitt saw off Bogdanovic 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.

Arvind Parmar and Miles MacLagan must now beat world No. 5 doubles player Todd Woodbridge teamed with Wayne Arthurs to keep Britain alive.

Russia, missing the injured Marat Safin, got off to the worst possible start in the opening of their defense.

Nykolay Davydenko, making his Cup debut, lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic in the opening rubber.

Ranked 62 in the world, Davydenko was a surprise choice to play singles ahead of 25th-ranked former world No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov who disappointed in the 2002 final in Paris when Russia beat France 3-2 and did not play in the deciding singles match.

Despite Friday's defeat, Davydenko remained upbeat.

"We played equally well in the first two sets but I did not manage to get back to game at the start of the third. But it was a very equal match so I think I can be satisfied with what I displayed," he said.

Nicolas Escude gave France a 2-0 lead with a 7-6, 6-2, 7-6 victory over Andrei Pavel after Sebastien Grosjean had earlier downed Adrian Voinea 6-2, 6-3, 7-6.

Champions in 2000, Spain are romping towards victory over Belgium. World number three Juan Carlos Ferrero got the hosts off to an excellent start in Seville, beating Christophe Rochus 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.

Former world No. 1 Carlos Moya inched the Spaniards towards victory when he survived a rain delay and a tough Xavier Malisse onslaught to clinch the second rubber 7-6, 6-1, 7-6 at the Centro Deportivo Tenis Olimpico.

The Netherlands and Switzerland are locked 1-1 in Arnhem. Sjeng Schalken nosed the Dutch ahead with a 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 4-6, 6-4 win over Michel Kratochvil before Roger Federer thrashed Raemon Sluiter 6-2, 6-1, 6-3.