Kyle Edmund again proved his worth in Andy Murray's absence, beating Spain's Feliciano Lopez to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead in their Davis Cup semi-final.
Edmund hit 27 winners and nine aces in a thumping 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory in Madrid.
The British number two, selected ahead of the unfit Murray for the third tie running, quietened a partisan crowd.
Edmund's win means Dan Evans can put Britain into the final, although he must beat Rafael Nadal.
If world number one Nadal wins, the best-of-three tie will go down to the doubles rubber later on Saturday.