MANILA, Philippines - Veteran Cecil Mamiit once again provided the crucial win as the Philippines split its first two singles matches with Chinese-Taipei yesterday in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I tie at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung.
Assuming the role as the RP Cuppers’ playing captain, Mamiit outlasted Ti Chen in a two-hour, 20-minute duel that saw the Taiwanese yield to cramps, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 (ret.), to level the tie.
Mamiit’s triumph offset the 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) setback earlier suffered by Treat Huey at the hands of former world junior No. 1 Tsung-Hua Yang and gave the Cebuana Lhuillier RP squad the chance to take the initiative in today’s doubles match.
Fil-Am recruit Ruben Gonzales Jr. and veteran Johnny Arcilla are entered in the doubles against Yang and Yi Chu-Huan, although there’s a possibility that RP might field in Mamiit and Huey or another pair instead.
“Cecil outhustled, outran and made his opponent work for every point and finally outlasted Ti Chen, who sustained cramps in the sixth game of the third set,” said Philippine Tennis Association vice president and RP Davis Cup team coordinator Randy Villanueva.
Chinese-Taipei jumped the gun on the Philippines early as Yang pulled off a straight-set but closely-fought win over Huey.
The 24-year-old Huey, after dropping the first set, got the chance to win the second when he led, 4-1 and 5-2. But he couldn’t finish off the Taiwanese ace to bow, 7-5. The heartbreak continued in the third with the 19-year-old Yang emerging in tiebreak, 7-5.
“Treat worked hard in every single point and made the match really close. Just lack of breaks in the tiebreak was the difference,” said Villanueva.
The Philippines and Chinese-Taipei are both aiming to keep their spots in Group I. Winner of the showdown will stay in the uppermost bracket for 2011 while the loser will go down to a relegation tie with either Korea or Uzbekistan, where the vanquished will plummet to Group II next year.