Ireland's men's tennis team was rudely awakened by a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Slovenia, the team they had beaten earlier this year in the Davis Cup, when the European Nations Championship got under way at the Enka club in Istanbul yesterday.

Owen Casey went 2-0 up on Mina Gregorc in the opening singles, but the Irishman lost the next seven games before going down to the 564th-ranked player 6-2 6-4 in an hour and 45 minutes.

Scott Barron won the first set against Marko Tkalec, but he dropped service early in the final session and went out tamely 6-3 4-6 2-6.

"Their two top guys are good, they came out playing well," said Ireland's non-playing captain Peter Wright. "It was not to be our day but we can still vindicate ourselves in the matches to come," said Wright, who rested Casey for the by-now meaningless doubles match.

Austria provide the opposition for Ireland today. One of the four teams in the group gains promotion, two are demoted and one remains in the group.

Singles: M Gregorc bt O Casey 6-2, 6-4; M Tkalec bt S Barron 6-3, 4-6, 2-6. Doubles: Gregorc and A Kracman bt Barron and R Collins 6-2, 6-2.