Tierro rallies to win Davis Cup opener

MANILA, Philippines - Patrick John Tierro refused to wilt under pressure and gallantly fought back from two sets down to score a vengeful 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Sri Lankan Harshana Godamanna, giving the Philippines a 1-0 lead in the opening singles of their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II tie at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City last night.

Undone by his erratic game, Tierro yielded the first two sets but regained his bearing and rhythm in the third before overpowering Godamanna, the former Sri Lanka No. 1, in the last two to complete his big comeback.

When it was over, Tierro raised his hands, pointed to the wild-cheering crowd and hugged his teammates at the shell-clay court.

“I could’ve given up after two sets but I didn’t. The key was not giving up,” said the 29-year-old Tierro, who thus got back at Godamanna, who beat him, 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4, 2-6, 3-6, in the Phl’s 4-1 victory in Colombo, Sri Lanka last year.

Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales, fresh from snaring an ATP Challenger singles title last week in Mexico, was playing Sri Lankan No. 1, 19-year-old Sharmal Dissanayake, in the second singles match at press time.

World-ranked Treat Conrad Huey and Pepperdine University standout Francis Casey Alcantara are scheduled to play Dineshkanthan Thangarajah and Sankha Atukorale in the doubles at 3 p.m. today.

The reverse singles is set tomorrow with Gonzales clashing with Godamanna and Tierro battling Dissanayake.

After a fierce battle in the first 10 games of the match, Godamanna pounced on Tierro’s unforced errors to take the next two games and turn a 5-all count into a win.

Godamanna sustained his form and kept Tierro on the defensive in the next frame where he broke the latter twice to handily seize a commanding two-sets-to-nothing lead.

But just as the Sri Lanka thought he had seen the last of Tierro, the country’s top netter struck back, breaking a 4-all game with brilliant winner after winner. He took the next two games and the set that kept the steel-nerved Filipino into the game.

Tierro imposed his will again and shut out Godamanna in the fourth before breaking his outclassed rival in the decider to pound out the scary win.

Tickets in the event, which is sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier, Yonex, Pasig City and the Philippine Sports Commission, are priced at P1,000 for a three-day pass, and P500 for a day pass. New Zealand’s David Smith is the head ITF referee.