Huey hangs tough as Mamiit falls

LAPU LAPU CITY, Cebu, Philippines  – Treat Huey dished out superb form and trampled Jimmy Wang, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, as Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippines split its opening singles matches with Chinese Taipei in their Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group I relegation tie at the Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa here yesterday.

Huey, ranked 901st in the world in singles but in 59th place in doubles, actually bucked a slow start on the shell court but found his rhythm in time to dominate the match, needing just two and a half hours to dispose of Wang.

The win kept the Filipinos’ bid alive as skipper Cecil Mamiit dropped a heartbreaking 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-7 (6), 3-6 setback to World No. 293 Ti Chen in a marathon match that lasted almost four hours.

“I had a great match. I came out and played really well,” said the 26-year-old Huey. “It wasn’t disappointing at all, the loss of Cecil because Ti Chen played unbelievable tennis.

“I had to come out and play well and tie the game and I’m really happy,” said Huey. “I really excited to play in the doubles tomorrow (today).”

“He’s a great teammate,” said Mamiit of Huey. “This whole team is together, we pulled together, we know our roles and given the opportunity, Treat shone and performed well.

“Things happen like that, it’s going to be a long weekend, looking for more support and the team is happy, we’ll take this win and we’ll keep it going,” he added.

The Philippines has earlier entered another Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales and youthful Jeson Patrombon to play the doubles against Wang and Chu Huan Yi today but both teams can changed their rosters one hour before the match set at 12 noon.

The hosts are expected to field in their best players – Mamiit and Huey – for the pivotal doubles match.

“We’re keeping it as a surprise, anyone of us four can actually play the doubles tomorrow (today),” said Mamiit, who has won five doubles matches in Davis Cup in seven times. His two defeats came at the hands of world power Japan and Chinese Taipei.

“Chinese Taipei has strong doubles players, any of them could beat anyone so it’s going to be a fight,” said the 35-year-old Mamiit.

The Filipinos, whose stint here is being backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, Plantation Bay Resorts and Spa, Slazenger Balls and Philippine Sports Commission, appeared headed for a big start when Mamiit took the first set of the first singles match via a tiebreak.

But Ti, the highest ranked singles player here at 291, roared back and won the second set to draw level before stamping his class in the third en route to a 4-0 lead.

Mamiit, however, battled back and won five straight games to seize a 5-4 lead. But Ti regained his bearing and took the next two games to regain a 6-5 edge.

The Fil-Am ace then forced a second tiebreaker by taking the 12th game before storming to a 6-3 lead. But Mamiit lost his poise, enabling Ti to come back with powerful forehand winners while getting some breaks in the end, including two points that hit the tip of the net.

The Taiwanese sustained his momentum in the next set to give the visiting team a 1-0 lead.

But Huey frustrated Wang to force a tie.

“I tried to move well, stay in the game but unfortunately it’s not the result that I wanted,” said Wang.

“It’s a good training for me though because I’ve been injured six to seven years, it was a good match for me and I’m getting used to playing again,” added Wang.

After today’s doubles, Huey faces Ti at 10 a.m. and Mamiit squares off with Wang at 12 noon in tomorrow’s reverse singles.

The winner of this tie will keep its place in Group I while the loser will be relegated to Group II.

Chinese Taipei has been occupying Group I the last six years while the Phl has only been in that level the last two years.