Barbados will be hoping to secure victory over Colombia as their Davis Cup Group 1 tie remains finely balanced after the opening round of matches at the Complejo de Raquetas in Colombia on Saturday.

Darian King, the island’s highest-ranked player, delivered a vintage performance on Friday to level the tie at 1-1 after Colombia took an early lead. The 32-year-old King, who was once ranked number 106 in the world, rolled back the years to stun world number 345, Adria Soriano Barrera, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

It was an inspired showing from King, who famously played in the 2017 US Open but has since struggled with injuries. His victory ensured that Barbados remain in contention heading into the decisive matches.

Earlier, Colombia's Nicolas Mejia, ranked 214th, made light work of Xavier Lawrence, defeating him 6-2, 6-0 in the opening rubber to hand the hosts an early advantage. However, King’s emphatic response in the second match evened the contest, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

With the tie delicately poised, the doubles match will take center stage on Saturday. King will team up with Stephen Slocombe to face Colombia’s experienced duo of Nicolas Barrientos and Cristian Rodriguez in what could be a decisive encounter.

Following the doubles clash, King will return to the court for a high-stakes battle against Mejia, while Barrera and Lawrence will face off in the final singles match. With a place in the next round on the line, Barbados will be banking on King’s form and the team’s resilience to pull off an upset against the fourth-seeded Colombians.