RP netters win DC tie

The Philippines came out prepared with patriot missiles against Kazakhstan’s scud missiles in their doubles match, winning it in a fierce marathon five-set battle to put an early conclusion in their Davis Cup relegation war at the oven-hot PCA indoor courts in Plaza Dilao, Paco yesterday.

Johnny Arcilla and Michael Mora disposed of Anton Tsymbalov and Alexey Kedriouk, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, as they sustained the momentum of the RP sweep of the opening singles Friday, giving the Filipino netters an automatic victory in the tie.

With a 3-0 lead in the duel, the Filipino netters can afford to lose the reversed singles today and still keep a slot in Group II competition of the Davis Cup Asia Ocenia Zone.

But Joseph Victorino and Arcilla vowed to go for a sweep for a sweet revenge against Kazakhstan which dealt them sorry losses in their first two encounters in the Davis Cup.

"Pipilitin kong maipanalo pa rin para maganda ang bawi natin sa Kazakhstan," said Victorino, who takes his turn in playing the Kazakh No. 1 Kedriouk in the first match at 1 p.m. today.

Kedriouk again showcased his booming shots yesterday but Arcilla and Mora teamed up well to control him. On the attack, the Filipino netters kept their focus on the erratic Tsymbalov.

On another hot and humid day inside the Plaza Dilao venue, Arcilla and Mora wore down Kedriouk and Tsymbalov, sending the Kazakhs back to Davis Cup Group III play.

"The weather played a big factor in this tie. Kahit nakuha nila itong doubles, hindi rin tatagal ang mga iyan sa reversed singles," said RP team coach Johnny Jose.

As in the opening singles, the Kazakhs came out strong but lost steam and power as the game wore on. Tsymbalov endured leg cramps in the fifth set and was exhausted in the end.

The key point came in the seventh game of the fifth set when the Filipinos broke Tsymbalov to gain a crucial 4-3 advantage. Mora and Arcilla held their serves in the eighth and 10th games to clinch the match and the tie that gave them another shot at advancing to Group I play next year.

But Kedriouk and Tsymbalov gave Arcilla and Mora anxious moments in the match – the worst one probably when the Filipinos, already a set behind, fell 4-5 adrift in the second set.

But Arcilla and Mora survived, beating Kedriouk and Tsymbalov in a number of face-to-face encounters at the net to grab the set at 7-5.

The Filipinos kept the pressures on the Kazakhs off the net in the third set to race ahead, two sets to one.

With another crucial break point, the Filipinos gained a 4-3 lead in the fourth set but failed to finish off the Kazakhs with Kedriouk bombing away booming winners.

"Matibay iyung Kedriouk pero iyung Tsymbalov bata pa at medyo mahina pa," said Arcilla.