INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines ? Although not as highly touted as his Davis Cup teammates, Patrick John Tierro is looking to excite local tennis fans as they try to hurdle bitter rival Pakistan.

The national Davis Cup squad faces Pakistan starting Friday in their Asia Oceania group tie. The winner will face either New Zealand or Indonesia to advance to Group 1.

Tiero, a native of Olongapo, is in his second time to represent the country in the prestigious David Cup, which also serves as a prelude to the Southeast Asian Games this December.

Joining Tierro in what officials described as one of the strongest national teams ever assembled are two-times SEA Games gold medalist Cecil Mamiit, doubles specialist and fellow Fil-Am Treat Conrad Huey and junior standout Francis Casey Alcantara.

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

The team has been training in Malaysia in preparation for the showdown with Pakistan, which happens at the Philippine Columbian Association tennis courts in Paco, Manila.

Tierro, a varsity player for De La Salle University, has been part of the national team for six years now but looks forward to getting local fans cheering for them this time.

?We players mostly rely on the crowd and seeing them cheering for us make us fight until the end,? said Tiero, who started playing tennis when he was nine years old.

The 23 year-old is hoping more young people get into tennis. In Olongapo, he noted an academy that accepts kids who show interest in the sport.

Just like in basketball and boxing, he is hoping tennis will earn the same amount of support from Filipino fans, the Davis Cup an excellent opportunity to pique interest in the sport.

?It?s natural that when Filipino players win, they get the support of fans. That?s highly possible because we have a strong team right now,? said Tierro.

The Philippines crushed Pakistan, 4-1, the last time the two countries faced each other in 2007.