Members of Philippine Davis Cup team to be feted today

THE Philippine Davis cuppers will be honored for their long-time commitment to the largest annual international tennis team competition this afternoon prior to the doubles match of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group 2 final round tie at the Plantation Bay Resort in Lapu-Lapu City.

The Philippines joined the Davis Cup in 1926 and has been competing in the tournament for 60 years. The commitment award is part of the centennial celebration of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) this year in cooperation with the Davis Cup.

To be commended are Johnny Arcilla, Felicisimo Ampon, Johnny Jose and Raymundo Deyro.

Arcilla, whose father is a native of Cebu, is a current member of the Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup team.

He first competed in the Davis Cup in 2000 and posted the most number of doubles wins at 10. His singles stats stands at 17 wins. He was nominated to be part of the team 28 times and has played 29 Davis Cup ties all-in-all.

Jose is the last Filipino who has given the Philippines a gold medal in the Asian Games. He achieved that in 1962. He first suited up for the tournament in 1955 and has played in 21 ties, wherein he tallied a 20-22 (win-loss) record.

Ampon, who started playing in 1939, was nominated to represent the Philippines 36 times.

His singles record stands at 34-26, while he has won six of the nine doubles matches he has played in.

Deyro first played in the Davis Cup in 1950. He has played 37 times, won 27 singles and nine doubles matches.

The awardees will receive actual Davis Cup trophies from London, according to Philippine Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON