The Philippines lost its standings in Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group 1 after bowing to Chinese Taipei, 3-1, in their knockout tie that ended yesterday at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.
Chinese Taipei no.1 player Chen Ti upset Filipino American Treat Conrad Huey in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2, in yesterday’s first reverse matches.
“We will be back for sure in Group 1. I know we will be back next year. The future is very bright for Philippine tennis as seen in Jeson Patrombon’s performance,” Huey said.
Huey’s loss made the second reverse singles match a non-bearing game. This allowed Patrombon, world junior no. 17, to play in Cecil Mamiit’s place against Chinese Taipei no. 2 Jimmy Wang.
The Chinese Taipei now holds a 4-2 record over the Philippines in their head-to-head duel.
Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup team captain Mamiit said there is nothing bad about losing because they learned from the experience.
Chen said he had a game plan against Huey. He said he knew he had an advantage going up against him because the latter had no rest. Aside from playing in the second singles on the first day, Huey also played in the doubles last Saturday.
“I knew I was in a better condition than him. He has a really good serve so I focus on every point and did my best,” Chen said.
Huey, during the postmatch presscon, said that it wasn’t a matter of him being too tired, it was a matter of Chen playing better.
Huey also apologized if the crowd thought that he was not giving his best in winning the match.
“I thought I played better, I tried to play more aggressive, I played well in the beginning. I had opportunities in the first and second sets, I gave them my all but in the end Chen just played better. If it seemed that I hadn’t played my best then I am sorry,” Huey said.
Huey came out hot surging to 2-0 in the first set, breaking Chen’s serve in the first game with a drop shot and holding serve in the ensuing game. Both players then held serves until Chen started warming up and broke Huey to tie the match at 3-all.
He then held serve to go up 4-3 then stretched that lead to 2 by breaking Huey’s serve again then he closed out the set in his favor on his serve.
In the second set, Huey once again came out firing immediately going up to 3-0 and even buried Chen 5-2 by firing aces. However, Chen started getting his momentum and leveled the match at 6-all to force a tiebreaker by holding his serve three times and breaking Huey once. Chen continued to be unstoppable in the tiebreaker and pocketed three points before Huey managed to score one. Chen ended the tiebreaker in his favor, 7-2, on the first of his 4 set points.
In the third set, an exhausted Huey could no longer return the serves of Chen who continued to fire forehand winners left and right.
Chen closed out the match on the first of his 3 set points by breaking Huey’s serve.
exhibition match
In the second reverse singles that turned out to be an exhibition match between Patrombon and Wang, the junior netter showed the Cebuanos what he is capable of by outsmarting Wang, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Patrombon had a sluggish start perhaps owing to nerves and was stuck on one point in the first. However, the crowd’s unwavering support boosted Patrombon’s confidence and he started playing against Wang point by point and even breaking the Chinese Taipei player’s serve to close out the second set.
In the third set, Patrombon continued his relentless attack against Wang by running and diving just to return Wang’s serves. The crowd was behind Patrombon by cheering Patrombon’s every point all the way through.