The Davis Cup returns to Lapu-Lapu City for the third time and unlike its two previous editions, the international tournament will be open to the public for free this time.
Slated to happen Feb. 1 to 3 at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, the Philippines will be pitted against Syria in the first round of action for Asia-Oceania Zone Group II match.
This tournament was supposed to be held in Syria but the ongoing conflict in this west Asian country forced the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to decide to hold the Philippines versus Syria Tie on neutral grounds.
However, Randy Villanueva, vice president of the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta), said the key factor in the ITF agreeing to hold the international tournament here in the Philippines instead was when they proposed to hold it again in Plantation Bay.
In 2010, Lapu-Lapu City partnered with Plantation Bay in hosting two Davis Cup tournaments which saw the Philippines competing against Japan first then Chinese Taipei next.
Lapu-Lapu’s third hosting of the event was launched yesterday in Plantation Bay with the memorandum of agreement signing between Lapu-Lapu City represented by Mayor Paz Radaza and Councilor Harry Radaza, Philta’s Villanueva and Plantation Bay general manager Efren Belarmino. Also in attendance were former Philta regional vice president John Pages, who was very instrumental in bringing the international event here, and Cebuana Lhuillier regional manager Anton Arietta.
Aside from Cebuana Lhuillier being the event’s major sponsor, Smart Communications has also pledged its support to the event.
Councilor Radaza said that the return of the Davis Cup in Lapu-Lapu shows what can be accomplished by a perfect working relationship between the private and the government sectors.
Mayor Radaza praised Plantation Bay for setting an example for other resorts in partnering with the local government to achieve the city’s aim of becoming a hub for sports tourism.
HOME CROWD
SUPPORT
Villanueva is expecting a huge support from the home crowd now that they have decided on a free admission for spectators.
Lapu-Lapu is open to coming up with a cheering squad to cheer for the Philippine Davis Cup Team.
Organizers will still be finalizing details of how to go about with the free admission, which means more work on the side of Plantation Bay.
Belarmino shrugged off the additional workload saying that most likely, tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis so as to control the crowd entering the resort.