ORGANIZERS of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group 1 knockout tie between the Philippines and Chinese Taipei are urging Cebuanos to support the Philippine Davis Cup Team who will see action on Sept. 16, 17 and 18 at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Mactan.
Ken Salimbangon of the Cebu International Tennis Center Inc. (CITCI) suggested that interested spectators get their tickets now before they get sold out.
The CITCI is helping in distributing the tickets for this international tennis tournament, which is being played in Lapu-Lapu City for the second time this year.
Salimbangon said tickets are selling fast, perhaps owing to the fact that they are cheaper this time.
Ticket prizes are pegged at P200 per day. Season tickets are also available at P500 good for 3 days and VIP tickets at P5,000 also good for 3 days.
During the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group 1 Team Tie between the Philippines and Japan last March, the tickets were sold at P500 per day, P2,500 for the season tickets and P5,000 for the VIP tickets.
Tickets could be bought at the Chris Sports branches in SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu, at Plantation Bay and the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.
Plantation Bay is also giving out two tickets to guests who would be checking in at the resort on Sept. 16, 17 or 18.
Philippine Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva said a jampacked crowd supporting the Philippine Team will be a big factor for the team’s chances to beat the Chinese Taipei and stay in the Asia Oceania Group 1.
Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei’s no.1 junior tennis player Yen Hsun Lu might be seeing action in this tournament.
Although this would not bode well for the Philippines’ chances, it would provide Filipinos the opportunity to watch a tennis player of world class caliber as Lu is ranked in the top 100 in the world. Lu has also beaten the likes of Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, two of the world’s top tennis players. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON