Sieber seals title clash with Arcilla

MANILA, Philippines - From the court, following his swift 6-2, 6-3 victory over PJ Tierro, top-seeded Marc Sieber went straight to the fitness center, and worked on the stationary bike.

“If you’re not fit it won’t be easy,” said the 22-year-old Filipino-German, sweat dripping from his chin, as he looked forward to the singles finals of the PCA Open tennis championship.

The Munich-born player, who was all over the PCA shell courts in ousting Tierro, will go up against another local favorite, five-time defending champion Johnny Arcilla, in tomorrow’s finals.

Arcilla earlier advanced with a 7-5, 6-4 win over former Davis Cup campaigner Elbert Anasta. As Sieber sweated it out inside the fitness center, Arcilla was right outside, bantering with friends.

Sieber, a first-timer in the Philippine circuit, is the top seed here because of his International Tennis Federation ranking of 611. The 30-year-old Arcilla’s best-ever ranking in the ITF stood at 1238, in August this year.

Still, Sieber said it’s not going to be a walk in the park.

“Johnny is solid on the baseline. Expect long rallies. So, you need to be fit,” said Sieber, who hopes to play for the Philippines soon.

No wonder shortly after the victory over Tierro he refused to call it a day, and instead of heading straight to the showers, he walked straight to the fitness center.

“It’s getting too hot for me,” he said, adding that back home in Munich it’s about minus-five these days, with 30 cm of snow in most parts of the city famous for its age-old breweries.

He took the game out of Tierro right in the first set. He broke the country’s ex-No. 1 player in the second game, when he caught the No. 2 Filipino’s deep smash and threw back a handsome winner.

Tierro pulled his head back and bit his lips. He knew he was in for a tough match.

Sieber proved him right as the left-handed visitor moved better on the court, with his explosive forehand, a two-handed backhand and the ability to hit drop shots from the baseline.

Tierro came out flat, and right in the first game, with an errant forehand, he sent the ball flying through the roofs of the Philippine Columbian Association indoor courts.

“Still, it wasn’t easy for me today,” Sieber, who started playing tennis at age five, insisted.

“My legs felt heavier. You need to hit them harder. But it’s still okay.”

PJ played good. But this was the best match for me here,” he said.

Waiting for him in the finals is Arcilla.