Déjà vu in Davis Cup

The Philippines’ recent come-from-behind win over Korea was reminiscent of a similarly spirited rally in 1988 when Rod Rafael, Andres (Bong) Battad, Anthony (Ringo) Navarossa, Danilo Pila and Raymond Suarez battled back to shock Japan before a wildly-cheering home crowd at the Philippine Columbian Association indoor tennis courts.

The difference was in this year’s feat, the team of Cecil Mamiit, Treat Huey, Johnny Arcilla and Elbert Anasta did it on hostile soil.

Suarez recalled the details of the 1988 tie.

“As a background, our captain Butch Bacani really killed us all in training,” said Suarez. “I would even say that this training was the hardest any Philippine Davis Cup team went through. We were running daily at the UP track a maximum of 16 kilometers before breakfast then we had two hard tennis sessions in PCA before one hour of calisthenics. Our tennis sessions were one in the morning and another in the afternoon. We were all so fit that when Butch announced just a light run of eight kilometers in the morning, we shouted for joy. Since Davis Cup matches could go five sets, he trained us all to go seven sets. Believe it or not, 22 years later, all of us are still tired from all that training.”

The tough Japanese squad was skippered and coached by Tsusuyushie Fukui. The players were Hiroshi Shirato, Eiji Takeuchi, Shigeru Ota, Ryuso Tsujino and Seoul Olympian Toshihisa Tsuchihashi.

Suarez recounted the results of each match.

“On the first day, we lost both singles matches,” he said. “Bong lost to Tsuchihashi (3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2) while Ringo lost to Ota (6-1, 6-4, 6-4). I remember they were close matches. On Saturday, the next day, Rod and I played Shirato and Takeuchi. We lost the first set, 11-9. There was no tiebreak in the Davis Cup at that time. Then, we came back to win the next three sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4) so the tie count was still Japan on top, 2-1. The PCA was jampacked for the doubles match and the crowd really motivated us to win, cheering every point we won or lost.”

It was like the players couldn’t let their countrymen down and fought to their last ounce of energy.

“The next day, Sunday, Bong played in the fourth match of the tie and beat Ota in four sets (6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4),” continued Suarez. “I played the last singles match as Ringo developed a fever. I was lucky to win in five sets over Tsuchihashi (3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3).”

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The Philippines will play Japan in their 17th Davis Cup face-off in Manila on March 4-6 next year. They are two of seven countries in the Asia Oceania Group I level with Australia, China, Chinese-Taipei, Uzbekistan and New Zealand. Japan leads, 17-9, in their head-to-head results and has beaten the Philippines, 5-0, in the last three ties this year, in 2008 (in Manila) and in 1996.

The Philippines’ consolation is it will enjoy the homecourt advantage like in 1988. It’s a reassurance that the Philippines has turned back Japan in three of their last four Davis Cup encounters staged in Manila. Since 1988, the Philippines and Japan are dead even with four wins apiece in their eight duels. In 1991, the Philippines stunned Japan, 4-1, on Japanese grounds.

Takeuchi, who saw doubles action for Japan in a losing cause in 1988, is expected to be back here next year as the visiting team’s non-playing captain.

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In Korea two weeks ago, the Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup team did an astounding Lazarus act, virtually rising from the grave to escape relegation to Group II by drubbing the host team in remarkable fashion.

Huey lost the first singles match to Yong Kyu Lim, 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 7-6, and Mamiit blew away an early lead to bow to Suk Yong Jeong, 0-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2, no thanks to cramps in his right hand and right calf. Then, Mamiit and Huey combined to repulse Hyun Joo Kim and Jae Min Seol, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, in doubles to stay alive in the tie. In the fourth match, Mamiit held on to trounce Lim, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 1-1 (retired) and Huey clinched it with a 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 lacing of Jeong.

Philippine Tennis Association vice president Randy Villanueva said the victory wouldn’t have been possible without the support of several individuals.

“The team would like to thank Mr. Jean Henri Lhuillier for his never-ending support to the team,” said Villanueva. “We would also like to thank Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia and Willie Ortiz of Accel, our official outfit provider. The team looked so good in their Accel outfits. After the tie, the Pinoys, who came out to cheer, begged for the team to give their outfits to them. Even the Korean fans wanted them. Cecil and Treat gave some of their outfits away.

“Of course, it was a full team effort. Johnny sat in as captain when Cecil was playing and Elbert was excellent in practice with Cecil and Treat. Our physical therapist Rico Barin of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine helped the team recover fast with all the stretching exercises and taping when there were strained muscles. We would also like to thank James Wilkinson. His passion and support for the team is amazing. He’s a Canadian married to a Filipina. He was in Korea to support us and he was with the team last year against Hong Kong, Pakistan and New Zealand. This year, he was present in all our road ties in Japan, Taipei and Korea. He arranged the tune-up games at the Palms Country Club before the team left for Korea and I think those tune-ups were a key to our victory against Korea.”