The Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup Team will be relying on its international exposure when it faces Chinese Taipei in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group 1 knockout tie on Sept. 16, 17 and 18 at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.
Team captain Cecil Mamiit expressed confidence in the team, which will be comprised of Jeson Patrombon, Ruben Gonzales, Treat Conrad Huey and Johnny Arcilla as the alternate player.
Mamiit said he is banking on the international exposure that his teammates have had, which serves as a good preparation for the upcoming tournament.
The knockout tie will be a crucial match as the losing team will be relegated to Group 2 while the winner remains in Group 1 and get a chance to advance to the World Group next year.
Mamiit, together with Patrombon and Arcilla, arrived yesterday and immediately proceeded to the press conference hosted by the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan with their coach Roland Kraut.
Mamiit said he is very excited about having Patrombon and Gonzales in the team again. Although he has yet to see how the team has progressed from the last time they were together, he said he is excited to see the development of each player.
Patrombon and Gonzales were nominated into the team alongside Mamiit and Huey in the Asia Oceania Relegation Play-Off last July against New Zealand, to whom they lost, 5-0.
Huey, however, was not able to play in that tournament in New Zealand due to his other commitments.
“I have confidence in this team because we have a common goal of representing the Philippines,” Mamiit said.
As for their loss against Chinese Taipei in last year’s Asia Oceania Relegation Play-off, Mamiit has this to say, “It is always a different story when you’re playing away from home.”
The playing team captain said they had put up a fight in each of those matches, which were so close. However, Chinese Taipei also gave them a good fight.
It was the first time that Chinese Taipei won against the Philippines, making their all-time head-to-head record 4-1.
Meanwhile, the team is expected to meet their fans at the Lapu-Lapu City tennis courts today.