PH Cuppers win doubles match, clinch tie
Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales gave everyone a glimpse of a potentially explosive doubles partnership, teaming up for the first time today and routing Pakistan, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, to help the Philippines clinch its Group II tie at the Philippine Columbian Association courts in Manila.
The two US-based players, who specialize in doubles in the professional circuit, outclassed the Khan brothers Ageel and Jalil as the Philippines posted an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the tie.
"This is the first time they played together, and obviously they did a good job," non-playing captain Roald Kraut said. "With Treat's experience, and Ruben also has a lot of experience on the circuit. So we're happy with the win."
Huey has an ATP rank of 50 in doubles play, while Gonzales is ranked in the top 500. Even though they were playing together for the first time, the two complemented each other well and negated the Khans' own familiarity with each other. They had little trouble taking the first set, but Pakistan put up a fight in the second, holding serve for the first six games. The Philippines finally broke in the seventh game and held serve in the next to go up 5-3 and eventually won the set 6-4.
Pakistan held serve in the first game of the third set, but Huey and Gonzales buckled down to work, winning six of the last seven games to wrap up the set and the match.
"Without (Aisam) Qureshi, we were expecting 3-0," said Kraut, referring to Pakistan's no. 1 doubles player who pulled out of the tie to rest an injured knee.
The win rendered tomorrow's reverse singles moot and academic, and Kraut is planning to give Huey a rest and possibly go with Johnny Arcilla and Nino Alcantara. Arcilla won his singles match yesterday, while Alcantara was originally slated to play in the doubles match until Kraut replaced him with Huey.
Both Huey and Gonzales were satisfied with their first team-up, which could be a major weapon for the Philippines in international play.
"I had a little bit of experience the last time," Gonzales said. "The one in Iriga City was my first win."
Gonzales was all praises for his partner, and is also excited about the prospect of teaming up with him more often. "He's unbelievable. I thought we had really good chemistry. We had never played together so I think we're just gonna continue to get better and better."
A team-up in the pro circuit, though, might have to wait since Huey is already competing at such a high level. "He's ranked so far ahead of me that it's gonna take some time," Gonzales said. "But obviously that's the goal, hopefully someday soon that I could be where he is so I can play with him."
"We played well," Huey said. "His serve is unbelievable, especially here in PCA, he's bouncing balls to the top of the fence all the time. And we returned pretty well. We won the big points when we needed to. That was the main factor for sure.
"He and I played well together. The team is really young, and who knows where we're capable of going. Obviously we've got so many guys who play singles and doubles. Ruben and I and Nino and hopefully we'll get Jeson (Patrombon) back. We have a good team. We have a lot of good players. Whoever's in there right now will play well. We're looking forward to keep moving forward in the Davis Cup."
The Philippines will now face the winner of the tie between Thailand and Indonesia in the Group II finals in September. Whoever wins that tie will be promoted to Group I in 2013.
"We're playing away for sure," said Kraut. "We don't do it here. It's gonna be tough but we're ready. Indonesia beat us in the last SEA Games. Thailand, we haven't played for a while, but they have good players."
In the meantime, Huey and Gonzales will resume their professional campaigns. Huey has an ATP tournament in Houston next week, while Gonzales has two Challenger and two Futures tournaments in the US before he flies to Europe for tournaments in Germany and France.
E-mail: sid_ventura@yahoo.com. Twitter: @Sid_Ventura
