Japanese sweep Pinoy Cuppers

MANILA, Philippines - Cecil Mamiit and Francis Casey Alcantara dropped their non-bearing reverse singles matches yesterday to complete a humbling 0-5 defeat at the hands of powerhouse Japan in their Asia-Oceania Zone Group I Davis Cup tie in Osaka, Japan.

With the Japanese assured of the victory following wins in the singles and doubles matches, Mamiit dropped a 4-6, 6-7 (4) setback to Japan No. 2 Tatsuma Ito.

Alcantara, the country’s top junior netter who won the Australian Juniors Open doubles title two years ago, also fell to Go Soeda, 1-6, 0-6.

In the first singles matches, Mamiit fell to Soeda, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 3-6, 3-6, while Treat Huey dropped a 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 heartbreaker to Ito.

Mamiit and Huey then lost to Toshihide Matsui and Takao Suzuki, 4-6, 4-6, 3-6, in the double, giving the Japanese the tie.

The Filipinos’ loss to Japan was their 10th in the history of the Davis Cup.

RP, meanwhile, seeks to maintain its Group I seat in the first-round playoffs when it clashes with Taiwan, which lost to Australia, 5-0, on July 9-11 in Taiwan. – Joey Villar