Mamiit starts out vs Japan No. 2

LAPU LAPU CITY, Philippines  – Fil-Ams Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey set out against a pair of fancied Japanese rivals today, hoping to overcome the odds and pull off a surprise or two at the start of the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group I tie at the Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa here.

“Everything is going to be in our terms because we had the surface we like, the weather, the crowd and now the draw,” said Mamiit, who as the country’s No. 1, will play the first singles match against Japan No. 2 Tatsuma Ito.

“Now it’s our turn to do our part and that is giving everything we got to make our country proud,” said Mamiit, during yesterday’s drawing of lots.

Lapu Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza was given the honor to pick the first singles match and she drew the name of Ito in the ceremony attended by ITF supervisor and referee Wayne McKewen, tennis chief Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez, his predecessor Julito Villanueva, Phl Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva and Councilor Harry Radaza.

Mamiit will play Ito at 10 a.m. while Phl No. 2 Huey collides with Japan No. 1 Go Soeda in the other singles match.

The Phl, backed by Cebuana Lhuillier owner and team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier, tapped Johnny Arcilla and Elbert Anasta to play Japan’s Takao Suzuki and Hiroki Kondo, a doubles specialist who was a late replacement to Yuichi Sugita, in the doubles event set at 12 noon tomorrow although Mamiit and Huey could replace them at the last minute if the need arises.

Patrick John Tierro is the lone Filipino reserve.

The reverse singles matches, if necessary, will pit the best of both teams – Mamiit vs Soeda and Huey vs Ito on Sunday at the close of the three-day event sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier, Slazenger Balls, Smart Communications, Mayor Radaza, Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa.

Aside from the proverbial homecourt edge, the Filipinos also hope to ride on the momentum of their come-from-behind victory over South Korea recently.

“Momentum will be the name of the game. If we could come up big early, we have a chance to surprise the Japanese and put them off-balance and since they have never lost against us,” said Mamiit.

The Filipinos have never beaten the Japanese in their last three DC ties, losing all 15 matches although four of them went the full, five-set routes. The last one came in Osaka, Japan last year when RP lost all its five matches.

This time, however, the Filipinos vow to get back at the Japanese.

“We’ve been training and preparing hard for this particular tie and we know in our hearts that we’re capable of beating them,” said Mamiit.

The Filipinos also hope to get the most from the slow outdoor clay courts provided by Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa headed by general manager Efren Belarmino and draw inspiration from the crowd.

Likewise, the hot, humid weather could favor the hosts since the Japanese are more comfortable playing in cold weather.

The Phl team also said the draw favored the hosts as Mamiit will get to open things up for the team after playing second in all the country’s singles matches since donning the country’s colors six years ago.

“Maybe this is all part of our path to victory, we’ll see,” said Mamiit.

The winner of the RP-Japan duel will play the victor of the tie pitting New Zealand and Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan for a chance to move closer into the elite World group.

Since the zonal competitions format was introduced, the Phl had one golden chance to barge into the World Group in 1991 when the team composed of Felix Barrientos, Roland So, Rod Rafael, Gigi Pila and Camoy Palahang waylaid Japan and China to grab one of the two berths in the World Group qualifying. They, however, lost to Sweden, 0-5.