INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - With a team trumpeted by officials as the best prepared in years, officials of the national Davis Cup squad expressed confidence the Filipino netters will hurdle Pakistan in their Asia Oceania Group II tie this weekend at the Philippine Columbian Association tennis courts in Paco, Manila.

The Filipinos are hoping to take advantage of the hometown support and the slow shell clay surface to overcome the tough Pakistanis, who will be powered by world No. 288 Aisam Qureshi and Ageel Khan.

?We should take advantage of these factors especially since we are up against a very good team in Pakistan,? RP Davis Cup coordinator Randy Villanueva said at the PSA Forum at Shakey?s UN Avenue in Manila Tuesday.

The best-of-five tie that stakes a playoff for promotion to Group 1 begins July 10. The winner of the tie will meet the survivor of the New Zealand-Indonesia duel for a place in Group 1.

?I think this is one of the most prepared Davis Cup team in recent years,? said Villanueva, pointing out that all team members have remained in top shape even after the 4-1 victory over Hong Kong four months ago.

Back to power the RP Team is two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Cecil Mamiit, doubles specialist and fellow Fil-Am Treat Conrad Huey, junior standout Francis Casey Alcantara and Patrick John Tierro.

Villanueva pointed out that Mamiit and Huey are active in the United States circuit, while Alcantara competed in the Wimbledon juniors event late last month.

The Philippines crushed Pakistan, 4-1, in their last Davis Cup meeting in 2007, also at the PCA courts.