(Reuters) - World number 10 Casper Ruud put Norway on the brink of a Davis Cup victory against visitors Uzbekistan in the World Group I playoffs with a 6-3 6-3 win over Khumoyun Sultanov on Friday.

Norway, who are in the World Group playoffs for the first time since 1995, took a 2-0 lead over Uzbekistan after Ruud beat the lowly-ranked Sultanov in just over an hour, while Viktor Durasovic sealed a 6-4 6-4 win over Denis Istomin.