Huey, partner enter finals in US men's clay court tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am Treat Huey continued to make waves abroad as he teamed up with Briton Dominic Inglot in turning back the fiesty American duo of Michael Russell and Bobby Reynolds, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6, to barge into the finals of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, Texas Friday.

Huey, who last week helped the Philippines sweep Pakistan, 5-0, in the Asia-Oceania Zone Group II semifinals at the PCA shell court, and Inglot thus forged an interesting title duel with another US pair, James Blake and Sam Querrey, who also needed an extra set in edging Croatian Ivo Karlovic and German Frank Moser, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

It was the second shock win by Blake and Querrey, who also stunned top seed Russian Alex Bogomolov Jr. and American Scott Lipsky, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals the day before to make it this far.

By making the finals, Huey, now ranked 50th in the world doubles, and Inglot, who are unseeded in this weeklong tournament, matched the same finish the tandem accomplished in a Challenger event in Germany last January.

The doubles finale is expected to be a match to remember as Huey and Inglot, who is currently ranked No. 113, are pitted against Querry, currently the world’s No. 33.

Huey, who is expected to be back to help the country regain its Group I slot in the Davis Cup with a win over Indonesia this September in Jakarta, is gunning for his first doubles win of the year after snaring seven titles last year.