D Cuppers clinch tie vs Pakistanis

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Ams Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales overpowered brothers Aqeel and Jalil Khan, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, in their doubles match to clinch the win for the Philippines over Pakistan in their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II tie at the Philippine Columbian Association’s center court in Plaza Dilao yesterday.

Huey and No. 2 Filipino bet Johnny Arcilla set the Philippines’ bid in motion on Good Friday with a sweep of the opening singles.

“We were confident going into today’s (yesterday’s) doubles match after our two impressive singles victories,” said the 26-year-old Gonzales, who has now got two Davis Cup wins after he teamed up with Arcilla in a 6-7 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) win over Cyril Jacobe and Daniel Llarenas in the Philippines’ 5-0 demolition of Pacific Oceania last February in Iriga City.

“Ruben (Gonzales) played great. His serve was just spectacular,” said Huey, No. 50 in the world in doubles ranking and now serving as the anchor of the Phl team.

The 32-year-old Arcilla opened things up for the host country with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 smashing of Aqeel Khan over the court where he won a record six PCA Open titles.

Huey followed that up with a more emphatic 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 bashing of Yasir Khan, the youngest of the three tennis-playing Khan siblings at 22.

In disposing of the Pakistanis, the Phl team, backed by Cebuana Lhuillier’s Jean Henri Lhuillier, Slazenger, ACCEL and the Philippine Sports Commission, needs just one more win to regain a place in Group I competition.

The Filipino netters play the Thais or the Indons in the Group II final set Sept. 14-16. It’s an away match for the Philippines.

Huey and Gonzales were happy to win their first doubles match together.