Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

JAMAICA WILL face another elimination battle to stay in Davis Cup Americas Zone Group Two after losing their tie 3-0 to hosts Uruguay at Punta del Este yesterday.

After crashing in Friday's opening day singles, the Jamaicans were always going to be up against it in the doubles yesterday and, despite a gritty performance on the red-clay, veterans Jermaine Smith and Elvis Henry fell to singles stars Pablo Cuevas and Marcel Felder 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in just under two hours at the Cantegril Country Club.

"We definitely had our chances but we just didn't capitalise," disappointed Jamaica Cup captain Douglas Burke said last night. "We had a lot of break points but just couldn't put them away and that's so important," he said.

"The guys played well. They served well and volleyed well but claycourt experience was the difference. We were never quite comfortable out there and lacked the feel for moving and recovering on the surface. So, we were often off balance."

With the tie lost, Burke will send his inexperienced singles duo of Damion Johnson and Eldad into today's dead rubbers to get some more valuable experience at the Cup level and on the 'foreign' surface.

"We are definitely going to send them out there tomorrow. The pressure will be off and they will have nothing to lose," Burke said.

Johnson will face the impressive Cuevas in the first rubber, while Campbell will round out proceedings in the final match against Felder.

The Jamaicans now have to set their sights on a relegation battle with the Netherland Antilles in April - probably away.

The Netherland Antilles are also down and out 3-0 after two days. They have been walloped by Ecuador.