1 Crushing humidity and a stomach virus took their toll Saturday on Australia, which finished the opening singles matches against South Africa 1-1.
2 Wayne Ferreira, the world No. 11 singles player and anchor of the South African team, knocked out doubles ace Mark Woodforde in straight hard-fought sets, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 and 6-3.
3 Woodforde, half of the formidable 'Woodies' pair with Todd Woodbridge, was rushed into the second singles match of the day when Richard Fromberg fell ill with a stomach virus.
4 It was possible Woodforde and Ferreira, paired with Piet Norval, would face each other again Saturday in the doubles, making up for time lost when the singles matches were postponed Friday by rain.
5 Earlier, Patrick Rafter, Australia's top singles planer, wilted in the humidity of this Indian Ocean city but still saw off Marcos Ondruska, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the 2 hour, 49-minute opener.
6 But the exhausted Rafter had to be treated for dehydration afterward and it was unclear what kind of shape he would be in for a reverse singles match against Ferreira.
7 South Africa, in its first World Group contest since expulsion from the Davis Cup over apartheid in 1979, chose Durban to bog down Woodforde and Woodbridge.
8 Humidity, slow balls and a new, slow artificial surface were hoped to even the odds against the No. 3 and No. 4-ranked pair, who have fared poorly only on the slow clay courts of the French Open.
9 But rain Thursday and Friday saturated the court, and quick turns on the practice court tore coin-sized holes in it. Play was postponed so the court could dry.

Crushing humidity and a stomach virus took their toll Saturday on Australia , which finished the opening singles matches against South Africa 1 - 1 .
stomach virus
Who was affected by the stomach virus and why did it affect the singles matches?