Phl-PacOceania DC tie on

IRIGA CITY, Philippines  – Jeson Patrombon and Fil-Am Treat Conrad Huey hope to live up to expectations as they take on separate rivals today in the opening singles of the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group II tie against Pacific Oceania at the University of St. Anthony Forum here.

Patrombon, the youngest at 18 but the highest ranked singles player in the fold at No. 874, faces unranked Cyril Jacobe in the first singles match at 3 p.m. while Huey, ranked No. 47 in the world in the doubles, slugs it out with Pacific Oceania No. 1 Michael Leong at 5 p.m.

Non-playing team captain Cecil Mamiit nominated Patrombon as Phl’s No. 1 player and was drawn first by host city Mayor Madel Alfelor Gazmin.

Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales and Johnny Arcilla were nominated to play in the doubles tomorrow against Jacobe and Fil-Guamanian Daniel Llarenas although both captains have the option to change rosters an hour before the match.

The reverse singles are set Sunday.

“Expectations for the team are very high and it’s good for us because we want to maintain the level of play like when we’re still in Group I,” said Mamiit.

It marks the first time that Patrombon, who reached as high as ninth in the junior world rankings last year before turning pro, will be playing a key Davis Cup match after losing to New Zealand and winning against Chinese Taipei in Lapu Lapu City in a pair of non-bearing matches.

“He’s given the opportunity to travel abroad and it’s a great opportunity for him to show what he’s got now in Group II and we’re rebuilding for the future,” said Mamiit.

Patrombon welcomes the challenge.

“I’m ready to play, I’ve been preparing hard for this chance,” said the Iligan City native in Filipino.

Huey, coming off a semifinal finish in the doubles event in a Challenger in France, doesn’t mind playing his old, familiar role as the No. 2 player and doubles specialist.

“Nothing really has changed, we get along pretty well with the team and it’s been the same the last two years basically,” said Huey. “Jeson is playing really well, he’s No. 1 for sure because he played a lot of tournaments in the last two months.

“Leong is very strong and experienced player and he has no pressure and knows what he’s doing,” he added.

Pacific Oceania knows it will be up against a rival raring to regain its old spot in Group I after dropping sorry setbacks to Japan and Chinese Taipei in Cebu last year.

“We haven’t really had that many games together because we’ve seen only each other at the airport in Manila,” said Pacific Oceania non-playing skipper Cyrille Jacobe.

“The Philippines on paper is the favorite but tennis is tennis, on D-day you’ll never know what will happen,” he added.

Davis Cup notes: P Llarenas interestingly is half Filipino as his father – Guam-based Cesar – hails from Pangasinan. “I’ve spent a week here when I was 10 years old and it’s a good feeling to be back here,” said the 23-year-old Llarenas... Mayor Madel Alfelor Gazmin treated the teams and Davis Cup officials to a night of exquisite Bicolano delicacies and music at the Iriga Convention Hall while attending to some popular guests like former Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia in a concert as part of the annual Tinagba Festival here...In just a couple of months, University of St. Anthony president and lawyer Nonoy Ortega turned a multi-purpose hall to an international standard tennis court that will be used in this Davis Cup. “This is the best indoor court in the Philippines today,” said Phl Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva.