Laos feat boosts Davis Cup hopes

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ rich harvest of two gold, three silver and five bronze medals in the recent Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is a strong indication that the country’s tennis team will give Japan a stiff challenge in their first round Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group 1 tie in Tokyo on March 5-7.

In Laos, the Philippine men’s squad of Cecil Mamiit, Treat Huey, P. J. Tierro and Johnny Arcilla captured the gold medal in the team event on a 2-1 win over Thailand in the finals. Mamiit and Huey combined to beat twins Sonchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, in the doubles match for the clincher. Huey earlier repulsed world No. 498 Kittipong Wachipamanowong, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, and Mamiit lost to Asian Games champion Danai Udomchoke, 4-6, 2-6, in singles play.

Mamiit, 33, accounted for the Philippines’ other gold medal in Laos, beating Huey in an all-Filipino finals. In sum, the Philippines collected 10 SEA Games medals, one more than Thailand.

Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) vice president Randy Villanueva said yesterday only Mamiit and Huey are shoo-ins for the Davis Cup team that has returned to Group 1 after a one-year relegation to Group 2. The Philippines was promoted back to Group 1 after repulsing Hong Kong, 4-1, Pakistan, 3-2, and New Zealand, 4-1, in Group 2 action.

But playing Japan is a tall order. Two years ago, Japan blanked the Philippines, 5-0, in one of three Group 1 ties that the Filipinos lost (the others were to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) in suffering the demotion to Group 2.

If the Philippines survives Group 1, then it will advance to the World Group for the first time since 1991.

Villanueva said beating Japan is key. “I think we really have a good chance and if we defeat Japan, it’ll just be one more win in two ties for the chance of reaching the World Group,” he said. “When we lost to Japan in 2008, all the three bearing matches could’ve gone either way. Now, the pressure is on them and our team is fast improving.”

Villanueva pointed out that Mamiit beat Japan’s No. 1 player Soeda Go, 6-4, 6-2, in a tournament in Calabasas, California, last November and crack mainstay Nishikori Kei has been sidelined with an injury.

Huey, 24, has also picked up his game, noted Villanueva. The Fil-Am improved his world singles ranking from No. 1359 to No. 704 and his doubles ranking from No. 515 to No. 144 within a year. Last October, Huey beat world No. 117 Kevin Kim in a Sacramento tournament and in Laos, he upset Udomchoke, 7-5, 7-6, in the singles semifinals.

In doubles, Villanueva said Mamiit and Huey are playing tougher than ever. The pair beat the Ratiwatana twins, ranked No. 86 in the world, in the clincher of the team event in Laos although the Thais won the gold in doubles. Villanueva said Japan has no doubles team that is as competitive as the Ratiwatanas.

The winner of the Philippines-Japan tie will face the Australia-Chinese-Taipei survivor on May 7-9.

Villanueva said the Davis Cup team will be finalized this month. “The Philta Board will come up with guidelines on the formation of the team,” he added. “Top candidates for the third and fourth slots are Arcilla, Casey Alcantara and Tierro.”

Arcilla, 29, Alcantara, 17, and Tierro, 24, were on the Davis Cup squad last year.

Villanueva said others trying to make it to the team are US-based Ruben Gonzales, Filipino-German Marc Sieber, Hawaii-based Dennis Lajola whose coach is Michael Chang and Italy-based Marc Reyes.

Gonzales, 24, is ranked No. 1022 in singles and No. 693 in doubles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He is a nephew of former congressman and cockfighting aficionado Patrick Antonio. Sieber, 21, is ranked No. 385. Lajola, 20, was once ranked No. 700 but has dropped out of the standings to concentrate on his studies. Reyes, 19, competed in the PCA Open last November and beat second-seed Tierro in the semis before losing to Arcilla in the finals.

“Cecil and Treat discovered Marc when they played in Italy last September,” said Villanueva. “I just chatted with Marc the other night. He’s trying to earn more ATP points and he’ll join events in Germany this month to help his chances to make the Davis Cup team. As for Dennis, I chatted with him two days ago and he’s very interested to join our team. He’s playing in tournaments this month and Michael Chang is coaching him.”

Villanueva said the entire Philippine contingent of Mamiit, Huey, Arcilla, Tierro, Denise Dy, Riza Zalameda, Maricris Fernandez and Christine Patrimonio with men’s coach Cris Cuarto and women’s coach Johnny Jose did the country proud in Laos.

“Our performance was not bad for seven events,” said Villanueva. “We won gold medals in the two most respected tennis events in the SEA Games. Our doctors and physical therapists believe that tennis has one of the most gruelling schedules in the SEA Games. They play three matches a day and in some days, they actually play five to eight hours if the matches are close. Of course, this only happens if the players win their matches and that’s what happened to us in Laos because they kept winning. We’re really proud of the whole team, for the sacrifice they made for the country, playing 12 days of gruelling tennis.”

Here’s the breakdown of the Philippine tennis team’s medal haul in Laos: Gold----men’s team (Mamiit, Huey, Arcilla, Tierro), men’s singles (Mamiit), silver----men’s singles (Huey), men’s doubles (Mamiit-Huey), women’s doubles (Dy-Zalameda), bronze----women’s team (Dy, Zalameda, Fernandez, Patrimonio), women’s singles (Dy, Zalameda), mixed doubles (Dy-Mamiit, Zalameda-Huey).