RP Cuppers lose doubles, drop World Group bid

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ hopes of making it to the elite World Group in the Davis Cup came to an end as Filipino-Americans Cecil Mamiit and Treat Conrad Huey dropped their doubles match against Japanese Takao Suzuki and Toshihide Matsui at the Namihaya Dome in Osaka, Japan yesterday.

Desperately needing a victory following a pair of stinging losses in the opening singles matches Friday, Mamiit and Huey couldn’t deliver, suffering a 4-6, 4-6, 3-6 defeat that halted the Philippines’ drive in the Asia-Oceania Group 1 competition.

The loss rendered today’s reverse singles matches non-bearing.

With the tie sealed by the Japanese, the Philippines is likely to field in RP top junior Francis Casey Alcantara and Johnny Arcilla on the final day of the RP-Japan showdown.

The Filipinos set out for this tie hoping to pull the rug from under the heavily favored Japanese to make the Group 1 Finals where they would have a chance to make it to the World Group.

Instead, the Filipinos, whose trip here is being sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier and Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping, now need beat the loser of the Australia-Chinese Taipei tie to fight it out for the chance to keep their place in Group I.

It was the second straight loss by RP to Japan in the Davis Cup.

Mamiit lost to Japan No. 2 Go Soeda, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, while Huey, 24, bowed to No. 1 Tatsuma Ito, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, in the opening singles.

Mamiit and Huey, who had won all their previous doubles matches last year in Group 2, allowed 10 breakpoints to slip by in the first set and eight in the second in losing to Suzuki and Matsui.