RP Davis Cuppers upend Kiwis, return to Group I

MANILA, Philippines - The RP Davis Cup team is back to Group I play with a chance next year to chase a slot in the World Group playoffs.

Cecil Mamiit and Treat Conrad Huey clobbered G.D. Jones and Mikal Statham, 7-6 (4-), 6-3, 7-5, in the doubles match yesterday as the RP netters finished off the New Zealanders early in their Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group II championship tie at the PCA Center Court in Paco, Manila.

The Filipinos made it 3-0 counting their sweep of the opening singles Friday, thus rendering non-bearing the reverse singles in the tie sponsored by Dunlop, Phiten, Philippine Sports Commission and Cebuana Lhuillier.

With the tie in the bag, Johnny Arcilla and Elbert Anasta are to play in place of Mamiit and Huey in the last two matches today.

Mamiit and Huey take a well-deserved rest after delivering three won matches that guaranteed the country’s return to Group I competition, joining Australia, Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea.

India and Uzbekistan have been promoted from Group I to the World Group playoffs. Thailand and China, meanwhile, are still slugging it out, determining which of them will stay in Group I and which will be relegated to Group II.

The Philippines returned to Group I with victories over Hong Kong, Pakistan and finally New Zealand. PJ Tierro and Niño Alcantara were part of the triumphant run as they played in the first two ties.

“It’s a great season. It’s a great ride,” said Mamiit, amidst the din of victory celebration with the cheering hometown crowd.

“(Winning the doubles) is a great way to finish it as I don’t want to be (playing) on the third day. It’s an opportunity for the other guys to show their talent,” Mamiit added.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s a great win for us against those New Zealanders with great all-around talent,” said Huey.

“Definitely, the heat and humidity in the venue helped us. There’s also the surface that we love and the crowd that inspired us,” Huey added.

Mamiit and Huey outclassed the Kiwis, showing awesome skills and versatility in winning the match in two hours and 25 minutes.

The overcast skies outside the venue and a brief break due to power outage didn’t help the Kiwis.

At the resumption of play, the Filipino pair took the next three games and made it two-sets-to-nil.

With their back against the wall, the Kiwis put up a whale of a fight in the third set only to fade away in the closing games.

Mamiit hammered an ace to end the match to the delight of the crowd.

The Filipinos took the opening set via the tiebreak at 7-4.

The two teams held their serves until the Filipinos got to break the Kiwis in the ninth game. The Kiwis, however, broke back in the next game to get even.

The Filipinos, however, won’t be denied of the opening set, refusing to blink on the important points.