PH Cuppers eye revenge vs Taipei

Members of the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup Team are shown here, namely (from left) Treat Huey, Ruben Gonzales, Jeson Patrombon, Karl Sta. Maria, Francis Casey Alcantara and Philta Chairman of the Board and Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

THE Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup Team wants to exact revenge against its 2015 tormentor Chinese Taipei, with the home-court advantage this time as it battles the Taiwanese on July 15 to 17 at the Philippine Columbian Association.

The team will be composed of the same line-up that blanked Kuwait, 5-0, last March, bannered by one of the world’s top doubles’ players in Treat Huey.

Also back for another call of duty are world-ranked doubles’ player Ruben Gonzales, former world juniors’ no. 9 Jeson Patrombon and 2009 Australian Open Juniors’ Doubles’ champion Francis Casey Alcantara. Also back as non-playing team captain is multi-titled college coach Karl Sta. Maria.

“I am so excited about this match with Chinese Taipei. I’m confident we will do better this time as our players have been training and competing internationally the past months. Chinese Taipei may have the higher-ranked players, but I believe we have a solid team, where all players can both play singles and doubles. I also think that the home-court advantage will work to our players’ favor this time,” said Philippine Tennis Association Chairman of the Board and Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

The members of the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup Team have been busy preparing for the match by playing in international competitions and have actually done well.

Huey is currently playing in the Wimbledon Open after reaching the quarterfinals of the Aegon Open Nottingham Men’s Doubles. Gonzales, on the other hand, is riding on the crest of a final and semifinal doubles’ appearances of Futures tournaments in Netherlands and France. Patrombon reached the singles’ quarterfinals of an ITF Futures in Hong Kong and will be ready to take on the cudgels of being the no. 1 singles’ netter of the country. Alcantara made a semifinal and quarterfinal finish in two tough ITF tournaments in Hong Kong.

“Our players are battle-ready. Their performances in the past weeks are very encouraging and I’m confident they’ll carry it through in the match with Taipei. This is our best chance to move back to Asia-Oceania Group next year and a victory here will put us one step closer to doing that,” added Lhuillier.

Source: www.thestandard.com.ph