MANILA, Philippines – Patrick John Tierro and Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales clash with Aqeel Khan and Samir Iftikar of Pakistan, respectively, in Friday's opening singles seeking no less than a pair of victories that will give the host Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippines the edge in their Asia Oceania Zone Group II Davis Cup tie at the PCA's Plaza Dilao courts in Paco, Manila.
Philippine Tennis Association president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez drew Khan, Pakistan's No. 1 player, in Thursday's drawing of lots at the Paranaque City Hall, setting the latter up against the 27-year-old Tierro, the country's No. 2 player, at 10 a.m. Friday.
The second reverse singles match pits No. 1 Gonzales against No. 2 Iftikar at 1 p.m.
It will be more interesting in Friday's doubles as World doubles No. 25 Aisam Qureshi, who will be paired with Khan, faces off with World No. 27 Treat Conrad Huey, who will partner with ageless many-time PCA champion Johnny Arcilla set at 1 p.m.
The reverse singles, if necessary, is scheduled on Sunday with Gonzales taking on Khan and Tierro battling Iftikar.
But all the first day limelight is expected to focus on Tierro, who is hoping to translate his strong semifinal finish in a Men's Future event dubbed Olivarez Cup last week to a victory over Khan hoping to give the Filipinos the edge against a Pakistani team the former beat five of their six meetings.
"Of course, I will try to get a win and try to give our country the early advantage," said Tierro, who also opened for the country in the Sri Lanka tie early in the year, lost that match before the Phl eventually won the match.
Roland Kraut, the Phl's non-playing captain, said the singles matches will be critical in the match since the doubles, which was a sure thing for the Phl in past ties because of Huey, is expected to be hard-fought because of the presence of the dangerous Qureshi.
"Our focus is to try to win the singles because we expect a real tough fight in the doubles," said Kraut.
Qureshi, for his part, thinks the tie will be decided to the last match.
"We have a pair of good teams here and although the conditions favor the Philippines, we expect to fight it out to the last match," said Qureshi, whose biggest feat as a doubles player was when he and India's Rohan Bopanna made it as far as the US Open finals four years back.
The winner here will play the victor of the Thailand-Kuwait tie in September for a spot in Group I.