Philippines, Thailand split first singles matches in Davis Cup

The Philippines and Thailand split yesterday’s singles matches in the second round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II tie yesterday at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

The Philippines’ Ruben Gonzales took the first singles match after Wishaya Trocharoenchaikul of Thailand was forced to retire due to cramps. Gonzales was leading the third set, 3-0, when the Thai retired. The Philippines, thus, won the first singles match, 6-7, 6-4, 3-0.

The second singles match between Johnny Arcilla and Danai Udomchoke was also halted because of a power interruption that lasted for around 20 minutes. Thailand’s no.1 player Udomchoke was leading the second set, 5-2 when play was stopped. The Thai went on to win the second singles match, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2.

The doubles game will be played today at 6 p.m. with Treat Conrad Huey and Francis Casey Alcantara of the Philippines taking on Thailand’s Nuttanon Kadchapanan and Pruchya Isarow. The reverse singles will be held tomorrow.

In yesterday’s first singles match, the 19-year-old Trocharoenchaikul bested Gonzales to take the first set by winning the tiebreak at 7-6.

In the first set, Gonzales took the first point of the match before Trocharoenchaikul scored three straight points to post a two-point lead, 3-1. The Filipino netter rallied to tie the score at 4-all then took the lead at 5-4.

The Thai was not to be outwitted as he took the upperhand again before Gonzales forced a a tiebreak, which ended in Trocharoenchaikul’s favor.

In the second set, both players held serve for a 1-all score before Gonzales broke Trocharoenchaikul’s serve when the Thai netter double faulted and went up at 2-1.

Gonzales’ lead ballooned to 5-3 with Trocharoenchaikul’s balls going long, one of which handed the Filipino the second set at 6-4.

In the third set, with Gonzales leading 3-0, Trocharoenchaikul suddenly started limping and leaning on the back fence. He tried to play on but he couldn’t. He was forced to sit and was assisted by team captain Tanakorn Srichaphan and the team’s physiologist. Srichaphan then approached the umpire to declare the retirement.

In the second singles match, Arcilla was able to match Udomchoke at 2-all before Thailand’s no.1 player rained powerful one-handed forehands and backhands. Arcilla managed to bring the games to a deuce only to lose the first set at 2-6.

The second set was an all-Udomchoke show before the brownout stopped his momentum while he was leading, 5-2.

The delay did not help Udomchoke, who started making unforced errors. Arcilla took advantage of these errors with passing and drop shots and eventually won the third set at 6-1.

However, Arcilla was not able to sustain his form and lost the fourth set, 2-6.