THE PHILIPPINES has formed the strongest team possible as it tries to inch closer to the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 competition.
Jeson Patrombon, Patrick John Tierro, Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales have been tapped to play in the Group 1 semifinals against Chinese Taipei on July 17 to 19 in Kaohsiung City.
The Philippines won four of its six previous ties with Chinese Taipei, although the Taiwanese won the two most recent encounters, including the 2011 Group 1 tie held here.
Both teams are coming off 5-0 routs of their respective first-round opponents with the Philippines drubbing Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei routing Lebanon.
Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva said the Filipinos will be facing a Taiwan squad that was relegated from Group 1 last year.
World No. 61 Lu Yen-hsun and Hung Jui-chen are expected to lead the Taiwanese.
Huey won the mixed doubles gold with Denise Dy in the recent Southeast Asian Games while Gonzales and Patrombon went home with the silver in men’s doubles.