THE second round of the Davis Cup Group II Asia/Oceania at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa pitting the Philippines against Thailand this weekend promises to be an exciting and close match with both teams promising to give their all for their respective countries.
In yesterday’s press conference at the Plantation Bay, Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Harry Don Radaza said he expects another successful hosting just like the past three matches held in Lapu-Lapu. He is also expecting a bigger crowd to show up.
Also present during the press conference were Philippine Davis Cup administrator and Philippine Tennis Association vice president Randy Villanueva, Cebuana Lhuillier area manager Dino Manso, Plantation Bay general manager Efren Belarmino and the Philippine and Thailand teams.
The Thailand team headed by its team captain Tanakorn Srichaphan arrived last night and expressed delight with the shell-clay court, which they had a chance to use yesterday morning.
The visiting team manned by Danai Udomchoke, Nuttanon Kadchapanan, Pruchya Isarow and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul are all first-timers in Cebu. “We are hoping for a great weekend for the Davis Cup,” said Tanakorn.
He added that from their last Davis Cup tournament against Kuwait, they only made one replacement in their lineup, that is Trongcharoenchaikul, who stands 6-foot-4, in place of the injured Kittiphong Wachiramanowong.
The Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup team also made one replacement in its lineup used against Syria as Francis Casey Alcantara plays in place of Elbert Anasta. Half-Cebuano Johnny Arcilla returns along with Ruben Gonzales and Treat Conrad Huey.
Alcantara of Cagayan de Oro, who is now on a scholarship at the Pepperdine University in California USA, said he has always wanted to be part of the Philippine team since the first time that Davis Cup was held here in Cebu.
Villanueva said the tournament will be a tight one with the Philippines leading its head-to-head matchup with Thailand, 3-2.
Thailand will be led by Udomchoke, who is ranked 210th in the world. The Philippines’ highest-ranked player is Gonzales, who is at 826th. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON