RP netters ready for big challenge versus tall Chinese in Davis Cup tie

It will be a question of stamina when the Philippines opens its Asia-Oceania Davis Cup tie against a tall China squad today with the staging of two singles matches at the Ynares Socio-Cultural Center in Pasig City.

"Handa na kami. Lalaban kami ng patayan. Pipilitin namin na makabawi sa kanila at harinawa ay huwag kaming maubusan ng resistensiya," said Johnny Arcilla, the spearhead of the RP team, which was swept by the vaunted Chinese squad, 5-0, last year.

Though China is fielding a young and inexperienced squad, the hosts are not taking the tie lightly and instead vowed to dish out their very best.

Arcilla, the country’s top netter, faces Lu Hao, a player fresh from the junior ranks, in the first game at 10 a.m.

Lu, ranked No. 2 in the Chinese team, was picked during the draw at the Holiday Inn Manila Galleria at the Ortigas Center yesterday officiated by International Tennis Federation (ITF) neutral referee David Crymble from New Zealand with Rep. Monico Puentevella, Asian Tennis Federation and Philippine Tennis Association president Buddy Andrada and Chinese team leader Ren Yi in attendance.

In the second singles match, RP No. 2 Joseph Victorino plays Chinese No. 1 Yu Xin-yuan.

"Fight kami. Giyera ang labanan bukas. Kailangang maipakita namin sa ating mga kababayan na handa kaming mamatay para sa ating bandila," Victorino said.

The crucial doubles match of the tie will be played tomorrow at 1 p.m. with the Philippines initially nominating Adelo Abadia and Rolando Ruel Jr. to play against Chinese doubles specialist Xu Ran, the only player with Davis Cup experience in the new team, and the 19-year-old Yu, ranked in the top 600 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

RP coach Martin Misa said that although the three Chinese players have no strong credentials to show, he believes that it is inconceivable for the visitors to send a weak team in a big competition like this.

"The pressure in the Davis Cup is so high that it may even make an inexperienced player suffer cramps. However, we’ve watched the Chinese in their practice and I would say that they are good. Very consistent at the baseline and they could play in our slow shell-clay courts with ease," said Misa.

"It is still 50-50 for both teams but we will be having a slight edge as far as the home crowd and the hot, humid weather is concerned."

Ren Yi, however, said that the hot Philippine weather will hardly effect his players since "they are used to play in different kinds of weather, court surface and other environment."

"We are pleased to come here and meet long-time friends anew. However, we promise to give our best and I don’t believe the weather will affect our players. We have a minus 10 degrees Celsius weather back home and when we came here, it was almost 32 degrees but the boys did not feel bad. This will be an interesting tie," Yi stated.

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.

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, Rod Rafael, Gigi Pila 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.