Philippine men’s tennis team gains Davis Cup promotion

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AJ Lim and Eric Olivarez Jr. lead the Philippine tennis team to its second Davis Cup promotion in less than a year

MANILA, Philippines – For the second time in less than a year, the Philippine men’s tennis team earned a promotion in the Davis Cup. 

The Filipinos scored a 2-0 win over Kyrgyzstan in the Asia Oceania Group IV promotion playoff semifinals after Eric Olivarez Jr. thumped Kirili Kistanov, 6-1, 6-3,  and AJ Lim cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ilgiz Kamchibekov on Saturday, July 19.

With the win at the hard courts of the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the Philippines joined Malaysia in gaining the two promotional spots to Group III of the Davis Cup.

Coached by US-based tennis legend Joseph Lizardo and assisted by former Philippine No. 1 Johnny Arcilla, the national team composed of Olivarez, Lim, Arthur Craig Pantino, and veteran doubles specialists Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales stamped their class in the competition by sweeping all their ties without dropping a single match.

The Philippines opened its campaign by blanking Pacific Oceania, 3-0. 

Olivarez prevailed over Gillian Osmont, 6-4, 6-3 then Lim followed up with a 7-5, 6-1 dismantling of Nickolas Ngodrela in the second singles. 

Current world doubles No. 220 Alcantara and former world doubles No. 116 Gonzales sealed the win by downing Brett Baudinet and Maka Ofati, 7-5, 6-2.

Kuwait provided the stiffest challenge when Ali Alshati stole a set from Olivarez before the Filipino recovered in the third to put the Philippines on the scoreboard, 7-5, 4-6, 6-0. 

Lim then made sure there would be no more scare from the Kuwaitis when he made short work of Bader Alabdullah, 6-4, 6-1. Alcantara and Pantino were gifted with an abbreviated win in the doubles after Alshanti and Alabdullah retired in the first set.

It was Pantino’s turn to see some singles action in the Philippines’ last match in the group stage and he did not disappoint, registering a 7-6(5), 6-3 triumph over Mubarak Alharrasi. 

Just as he did in the two previous ties, Lim then closed out with another straight set win over Mossa Alharrasi, 6-1, 6-2. Alcantara and Olivarez punctuated the Philippines’ dominance by punishing Isa Alharrasi and Ghanim Al Sulaiti, 6-2, 6-0. 

The Philippines will join Group III which features tougher competition with the likes of Vietnam, Singapore, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. 

The country returned to Davis Cup action just last year after the Philippines Tennis Association, the governing body of the sport in the Philippines, was suspended by the International Tennis Federation in December 2020 due to governance issues.

The Philippines made sure to make the most out of its return to the competition by going undefeated in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group V held last November in Bahrain. – Rappler.com