Huey, Gonzales out of DCup tie vs Indonesia

MANILA, Philippines — Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales won’t be playing for the Philippines in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group 2 tie against Indonesia in Jakarta on Feb. 3-4 but it’s not because they don’t want to.

Philta secretary-general Romy Magat has reportedly told Huey and Gonzales that they won’t be picked for the coming tie because of financial constraints. Magat advised the Fil-Am pair not to advance any more money in Philta’s behalf as their previous requests for reimbursement remain outstanding. 

A source described Philta’s explanation as pathetic. “Obviously, Philta is strapped for cash,” said the source. “It hasn’t paid back Huey and Gonzales for what they’ve advanced in playing for the country. Sponsors aren’t backing Philta because there’s no program to speak of. For years, it’s been Philta’s practice to ask players from overseas to advance expenses with the promise of reimbursement. Because Huey and Gonzales haven’t been reimbursed for past advances, Philta would rather keep them out of the Davis Cup. The question is – why haven’t Huey and Gonzales been reimbursed?”

It is estimated that Huey has an outstanding request for reimbursement of at least $2,000 and Gonzales, over $10,000. Philta is in a leadership crisis after its last three elections were not sanctioned by the POC. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) continues to recognize Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez as holdover president even as he has resigned. Olivarez, however, remains a member of the Philta Board. An attempt to reinstate Buddy Andrada as president was rejected by the POC and lawyer Antonio Cablitas was eventually installed in a highly-disputed election. Neither the ITF nor the POC recognizes Cablitas, leaving a leadership vacuum in Philta. 

The unsettled situation in Philta worsened when major stakeholder Jean Henri Lhuillier, exasperated over the turn of events, formed the Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) with over 15,000 players and more than 500 clubs under its wing all throughout the country. UTF is recognized by the PSC and has opened links with the POC.

Without Huey and Gonzales, the word is Philta will assemble a team made up of Nino Alcantara, A. J. Lim, Jurence Mendoza, Jeson Patrombon and possibly, Bryan Otico for the Indonesia tie. Alcantara, 25, has a 6-4 record in singles and 5-0 in doubles in 11 ties in seven years. Lim, 18, holds a 1-3 mark in singles in two ties last year. Petrombon, 24, is 5-5 in singles and 0-1 in doubles in eight ties in five years. Mendoza, 21, and Otico, 18, have never played in the Davis Cup.

Huey, 32, is ranked No. 62 in the world in doubles while Gonzales, 32, is ranked No. 183. They anchored the Philippines’ 4-1 win over Indonesia in Manila last year. Before that tie, Indonesia had beaten the Philippines in six of their previous seven head-to-head meetings in the Davis Cup. 

This year’s Davis Cup will introduce a reformat. First, all matches will now be best-of-three affairs. Second, the tie will be held over two days when in the past, it was three. And third, a team may submit a lineup of five players. The Philippines has been stuck in Group 2 since 2012. The Indonesia matches will be held at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Jakarta.