RP netters face Great Wall

The Philippines may have been swamped by China, 5-0, in the first round of last year’s Asia-Oceania Zone Group II Davis Cup competitions but the Filipinos are expected to turn things around when they face a different Chinese team starting Friday in the first tie of the 2004 competitions at the Ynares Socio-Cultural Center in Pasig City.

And the Filipinos, powered by Johnny Arcilla, Joseph Victorino, Adelo Abadia and Rolando Ruel Jr. are out to even things up with the Chinese, who enjoy a 3-2 edge in their head-to-head duel.

The draw for the best-of-five matches tie will be held today at the Manila Galleria at 10 a.m. with the Chinese presenting an entirely new squad.

Chinese No. 1 and 2 players Xhu Ben-qiang and Zeng Shao-xuan, the two men who led the Chinese 3-0 romp over the Philippine squad in Wuhan, China last year will not be playing for the visiting squad.

Chinese Team leader Ren Yi said that the two are currently competing in Europe and only doubles specialist Xu Ran is left with the Chinese squad, which will field in singles players Yu Xin-Yuan and Lu Hao. The fourth member of the team is Li Jing-yi.

Yu is ranked in the top 600 of the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) while Hao is in the top 900.

On the Philippine side, coach Martin Misa and non-playing captain Johnny Jose will bank on Arcilla and Abadia in the singles with Victorino and Ruel initially nominated as the doubles players.

A victory for the Filipinos will set them up to a semifinals meeting with the winner of the Kuwait-Hong Kong tie while the loser will tangle with the loser of the Kuwait-Hong Kong tie for the right to remain in Group II next year.

Last year, the Philippines lost to China, 3-0, in the opening round but kept its seat in Group II by routing Kazakhstan, 4-1.

"This is it, mahaba-haba na rin naman ang aming training para sa labanang ito at sana naman ay palarin kami na manalo," Arcilla said.

Since the zonal competitions format was introduced, the Philippines had one golden chance to barge into the World Group in 1991 when the team composed of Felix Barrientos, Roland So, Raymund Suarez and Camoy Palahang waylaid Japan and China to grab one of the two berths in the World Group qualifying. They, however, lost to Sweden, 0-5.