Mamiit, Huey open Phl bid

LAPU LAPU CITY, Cebu, Philippines  – Fil-Ams Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey set out against a pair of favored Chinese Taipei foes today, hoping to come up with decisive victories that would give them momentum for the crucial weekend matches at the start of the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group I relegation tie at the Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa here.

“Honestly, it’s good for me to start first and I think with my record with the team, it’s good to start off,” said Mamiit, who takes on Chinese Taipei No. 1 Ti Chen in the first singles match.

“I think I just want to lead, start off the way for our team, which has worked very hard leading up here. I just want to be more of a set-up guy, the role for me is to set up these guys to shine and become celebrities and icons.

“It’s not about me anymore I think I’ve done my part for 20 years on the tennis tour I just want to help set up the team so they can be the winners that they are supposed to be and be represented well so I expect to win – why not? – this is the reason why we’re here,” he added.

Lapu Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza was given the honor again to pick the first singles match and she drew Mamiit anew just like last March when this coastal city hosted Japan, which beat Phl in their tie, 4-1.

Present during the rites were Cebuana Lhuillier-Phl Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva, ITF referee Nitin Kananwar, Plantation Bay general manager Efren Belarmino and Councilor Harry Radaza.

Mamiit will be clashing with the world No. 293 at 10 a.m. after Lu Yen Shun and Yang Tsung Hua decided not to join the team to compete in the Challenger tournament in China, also slated this week.

“I’ve played him (Ti) before and I’ve had great results against him. Hopefully I could continue but it’s a different year, different time and this is Davis Cup, anything can happen,” said Mamiit.

Huey, ranked 901st in singles but the highest ranked doubles player here at 59th, for his part, squares off with Jimmy Wang, currently ranked 389th in the world who went as high as world No. 85 a few years back, in the other singles match at 12 noon.

“He is used to be 80-85 in the world before, he’s definitely a great player, somebody I definitely look forward to playing because he’s played a lot of best players before. It should be a great match (today),” said Huey.

“I definitely go out and play my game, play well. I mean we’ve done well in Davis Cup playing here on shell so, yeah, we’re looking forward to the match,” he added.

The Phl, backed by Cebuana Lhuillier owner and team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier, tapped another Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales and youth standout Jerson Patrombon to play Wang and Chu Huan Yi in the doubles event set at 12 noon tomorrow although Mamiit and Huey can still replace them one hour before the match if they lose their singles assignments.

Johnny Arcilla is the lone Filipino reserve.

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

The addition of Huey is a big plus for the Filipinos as the doubles specialist didn’t play in the singles matches in the Japan tie although the Fil-Am played with Mamiit in the doubles and won.

“My knee was bothering me back then so I sat out the singles but now I feel a lot better physically and more prepared for this tie,” said Huey.

“I feel definitely confident and good to have him, great teammate and he’s the one who got us in Group I, it’s great to have him at least play one Davis Cup tie in Group I,” said Mamiit of Huey.

“I’m pretty sure a lot of people are expecting him to play and seeing him for the first time here in Cebu so I think it’s going to be really exciting he definitely gives sort of that swagger on the team,” he added.

The Filipinos, who beat the Taiwanese in their first four meetings, are also out to avenge their 1-4 defeat to Chinese-Taipei in Taiwan last year.

“Expect a long match, just giving Philippines a chance, I will be showing a lot of heart and hopefully I’ve been working hard showing my hard work out there,” Mamiit said.

The Filipinos also hope to get the most from the slow outdoor clay courts and at the same time draw inspiration from the homecrowd.

“We hope to maximize all the advantages we have,” said Villanueva.

The winner of the RP-Chinese-Taipei duel will remain in Group I while the loser will be relegated to Group II.