RP advances to Group 2

The Philippines, behind Johnny Arcilla, Adelo Abadia and a highly-supportive hometown crowd, clawed back from the jaws of defeat and further humiliation yesterday, beating Tajikistan in the deciding doubles in the semis to regain its spot in Group 2 of the Asia-Oceania Zone Davis Cup competitions for next year.

Arcilla and Abadia, the country’s top two players, displayed a lot of staying power as they recovered from two sets down to beat the dreaded Tajikistan pair of Sergei Makashin and Mansur Yakhyaev, 3-5, 4-5 (2-7), 4-2, 4-1, 4-0, and send the Philippines into a non-bearing best-of-three final with Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan made short work of Singapore in the other semis matchup, winning the first two singles matches, including the resumption of the second one which was postponed last Saturday due to intermittent rains. With their semis duel settled at 2-0, their doubles match was no longer played.

The Philippines and Kazakhstan clashed in the final, which was non-bearing since the top two teams automatically advance to Group 2. Coach Joseph Lizardo rested Arcilla and Abadia and fielded Joseph Victorino, who lost Pavel Baranov, 4-0, 4-0, 1-4, 4-0, in 65 minutes, and Rolando Ruel, Jr., who fell to Alexey Kedryuk, 4-0, 4-0, 4-1, in 50 minutes.

The Philippines stumbled to Group 3 this year after losing to Indonesia and Iran last year.

Arcilla, 20, defeated Makashin in the first singles last Saturday, 4-2, 4-2, 4-0 before Abadia’s match against Yakhyaev was called off due to rains. It resumed yesterday morning with the Filipino, simply overpowered, absorbing a 4-2, 4-1, 4-1 loss that led to the deciding doubles.

Lizardo then decided to field Arcilla and Abadia in the doubles in favor of the less-experienced but gallant pair of Victorino and Ruel. Tajikistan also replaced their doubles team, tapping top players Makashin and Yakhyaev.

The Tajikistan pair displayed more cohesiveness in taking the first two sets against the over-eager, error-prone Filipinos. But everything changed starting in the third set as the Filipinos, drawing strength from the boisterous, feet-thumping crowd, started to get their game going after taking a 3-0 lead.

The third set ended at 4-2, and the fourth was no different with the Filipinos scoring big points one after the other to level the match at 2-2. The deciding fifth set turned out to be the best for Arcilla and Abadia, and the worst for Makashin and Yakhyaev, who had his hurting right elbow iced during breaks.

After taking to a 3-0 lead, the Filipinos finally broke Makashin’s serve to win the match in two hours and 10 minutes, and get the Philippines out of Group 3, considered as the dumping ground of Davis Cup lightweights. The end came when Abadia, 23, hit a perfect forehand volley that caught the Tajikistan pair literally flat-footed.

"What can I say? It’s our players who did it out in the court. They were the ones who made the sacrifices. And I’m just so proud of them for not giving up despite losing the first two sets," said Lizardo, a veteran of many Davis Cup tournaments on his first year coaching the national team.

Arcilla and Abadia were so ecstatic after the victory but did not fail to give credit to the tremendous crowd support. "Masyado lang kami gigil sa first two sets. Pero nang makuha na namin ang laro namin at tumulong pa ng husto ang mga tao, maganda na ang kinalabasan. Malaking tulong talaga ang crowd support," Arcilla said.

After last Saturday’s postponement, tournament officials thought of scrapping all matches originally scheduled yesterday. However, they were instructed by the International Tennis Federation based in London to go on even on a Monday. An extra day of competition would have cost an additional $4,000 for the hosts – from hotel accommodation to food and transportation.