No chance for Huey

It’s final. Treat Huey won’t play for the Philippines in the Asia-Oceania Group I Davis Cup first round playoff tie against New Zealand on the indoor hardcourt surface of the YSB Hub in Hawera starting tomorrow.

Huey, a mainstay of the Cebuana Lhuillier national tennis team since 2009, was scheduled to play in the first round of the doubles competition with partner Ryan Sweeting against wild card tandem Matthew Ebden of Australia and American Ryan Harrison at the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, yesterday (this morning, Manila time). It’s the only professional grass court tournament in North America and the first US leg on the Association of Tennis Professionals world tour after Wimbledon. There are 16 doubles entries vying for the top prize of $24,500. The match is the fourth in the calendar on Court 2.

The draw for the Philippines-New Zealand tie is set today and Huey would’ve had to be present for skipper Cecil Mamiit to include his name in the lineup. Huey’s absence leaves the Philippine team with Mamiit, Ruben Gonzales, Johnny Arcilla and Jeson Patrombon. The matches begin tomorrow and end on Sunday.

“If Treat was scheduled to play doubles last Tuesday and lost, he could’ve tried to make it to New Zealand in time for the draw,” said Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) vice president Randy Villanueva. “Now, it’s too late because you’re only allowed to play in the Davis Cup if you are at the site a day before the actual event.”

Without Huey, Mamiit said he remains upbeat on the Philippines’ chances to beat New Zealand on the road even as the Kiwis are parading three new players from the cast that bowed to the Filipinos, 4-1, in Group II competition at the Philippine Columbian Association courts two years ago. New Zealand’s team is composed of holdover Jose Statham and newcomers Michael Venus, Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell. The Philippines has beaten New Zealand in three of four Davis Cup encounters, including a 4-1 romp in Auckland in 2007.

“The participation of the Davis Cup team in New Zealand is also part of the preparation of the men’s team for the coming Southeast Asian Games,” continued Villanueva. “The team is competitive because of the teamwork of both the private and government sectors. We have the Philippine Sports Commission to thank for the public sector support through chairman Richie Garcia and the commissioner assigned to oversee our association, former Philta president Buddy Andrada. And of course, for the private sector, it’s Jean Henri Lhuillier.”

Huey and Patrombon played at Wimbledon recently. In the main draw, Huey teamed with South Africa’s Izak Van Der Merwe in losing a first round doubles match to South Africa’s Wesley Moodie and Belgium’s Dick Norman, 7-5, 7-6. Patrombon took out Germany’s Julian Lenz, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the junior singles competition then dropped a 7-6, 6-1 decision to Belgium’s Kimmer Coppejans. In junior doubles, Patrombon and New Zealand’s Jaden Grinter lost to Australia’s Ben Wagland and Andrew Whittington, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, in the first round.

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No doubt, last Sunday’s match revealed the strides the Philippine national football team has made since German coach Michael Weiss’ arrival. Although there were some newcomers in the Azkals lineup, everyone looked comfortable with each other on the field in the 4-0 lacing of Sri Lanka at the jampacked Rizal Memorial Stadium. Their passing game has greatly improved. Their defense was aggressive. Players went after the ball and created windows of opportunity, not waited for them to open. They attacked relentlessly from the first minute, compiling 26 goal attempts to Sri Lanka’s four. They showed their mastery at ball control, often slipping past defenders and leaving them biting the dust. 

If only the players didn’t think of trying to score goals on their own in the late going, the Azkals could’ve booted in at least two more before the final horn. But let’s spare those who strayed from brickbats. After all, the Azkals deserved their moments of frivolity – they should just be reminded not to indulge too often.

If Sri Lanka was a cakewalk, Kuwait won’t be. Kuwait is ranked No. 102 in the FIFA ladder compared to No. 159 for the Philippines. Kuwait won the Asian Cup in 1980 and played in the 1982 World Cup, drawing with Czechoslovakia and losing to England and France. Kuwait has competed in three Olympics. At the 2000 Sydney Games, Kuwait beat the Czech Republic, 3-2, and lost to the US, 3-1, and Cameroon, 3-2. Kuwait has never played the Philippines in international competition and has beaten Malaysia in eight of 12 encounters, Myanmar in three of four, Palestine in two of three, Singapore in six of nine and Thailand in five of eight.

To show the high level of football that is played in Kuwait, it was ranked No. 24 in 1998 and its worst ranking was No. 128 – 31 notches ahead of the Philippines’ current standing. At the Asian Cup last year, Kuwait was winless in bowing to China, 2-0, Uzbekistan, 2-1 and Qatar, 3-0.