Hopes high for netters in duel vs Taiwanese

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese-Taipei may or may not tap Wimbledon quarterfinalist Yen-Hsun Lu for the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I Play-offs first round against the Philippines next week but whatever happens, the Filipinos will be ready.

Philippine Tennis Association vice president and RP Davis Cup team coordinator Randy Villanueva said the crew of playing captain Cecil Mamiit, veterans Treat Conrad Huey and Johnny Arcilla and Fil-Am recruit Ruben Gonzales Jr. are upbeat about their chances in the July 9-11 tie against the hosts Taiwanese.

“We have high hopes for this campaign,” Villanueva said when he appeared at the SCOOP sa Kamayan session Friday along with Arcilla and Gonzales.

The Filipinos will be seeking to retain a slot in Group I next year by beating the Taiwanese, who have nominated Tsung-Hua Yang, Ti Chen, Chua-Huan Yi, and Hsin-Han Lee for this duel. Loser of the RP-Chinese Taipei showdown will have to face either Korea or Uzbekistan in a relegation tie where the loser will eventually get demoted to Group II.

Although Lu, who upset Andy Roddick to reach the Wimbledon Last 8 recently, is not in the lineup, the hosts may yet insert him into the roster two days before the tie.

But Villanueva expressed confidence that the veteran Mamiit will hold his own against the Taiwanese ace, having already faced him in previous Asian Games and Challenger match-ups.

Villanueva also expressed confidence the solid showing of Huey will carry over to the DC tie. Huey had made it to the main draw of the men’s Wimbledon doubles play and is presently in the doubles semis of an on-going 100,000 Euro tournament in Germany. Arcilla’s experience, he said, is also a plus while newbie Gonzales is coming off strong stints in doubles plays of recent ITF Futures events in Japan and Guam.

“Another good thing about this tie is that the weather in Kaohshiung will almost be the same as here in the Philippines and we would be playing on a hard court, which levels the playing field,” Villanueva said. “Their advantage would probably be on the hometown crowd.”

The Philippines enjoys a 4-0 head to head advantage against Chinese Taipei in the Davis Cup.