Davis Cuppers seek revenge vs Japanese

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino netters are seeking revenge against their Japanese rivals when they clash in a Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group I tie March 4-6 in Lapu Lapu, Cebu.

The Japanese are the same group that beat Cecil Mamiit and company in their last three meetings in the Davis Cup.

RP Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva said the Japanese nominated Go Soeda, Yuichi Sugita, Tatsuma Ito and Takao Suzuki to play against Mamiit, Treat Huey, Johnny Arcilla and Elbert Anasta.

Patrick John Tierro is Phl team’s reserve.

“It is the same team that we faced in past Davis Cup ties,” said Villanueva. “One good thing about it is that we know who we’re facing.”

 Except for Suzuki, the rest of the Japan netters ranked in the world’s top 200 making the visiting team the clear favorite versus the host.

The Japanese swept the Filipinos, 0-5, in their last Davis Cup meeting last year in Osaka.

The Filipinos, however, have vowed to do their best to stop the Japanese. The Phl team is now in Cebu, familiarizing themselves with the clay courts of the Plantation Bay Resorts.

Huey, the Phl No. 2 player, arrived Monday, fresh from a victory in a doubles event in Morocco.

“I’m confident of our chance because we’ve been working and training hard for this particular tie,” said Mamiit, who flew in from the United States ahead of Huey.

Mamiit and Huey also lost to Soead and Ito in their third round meeting in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.