THE CEBUANA Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup teetered on the brink as Chinese Taipei forged a 2-0 start Friday after winning the opening singles of their Asia-Oceania Group 2 semifinal in Kaohsiung.
Hung Jui-chen dealt PH top player Jeson Patrombon a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 beating in the first singles before the host’s top gun, Lu Yen-hsun, downed Patrick John Tierro, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, in the second singles.
To stay alive, the Philippines now needs to win Saturday’s doubles where Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales battle Peng Hsien-yin and Lee Hsin-han.
“We have been in this situation before, and we are confident we can still pull it off,” said team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier.
The last time the Filipinos recovered to win from a 0-2 start was in 2010 against South Korea in a Group 1 relegation tie played in Changwon.
Philippine Tennis Association vice president Randy Villanueva said the pressure may have gotten the better of Patrombon, who failed to get his rhythm in the match.
“Jeson didn’t play as good; he can play so much better than how he played today,” said Villanueva. “Maybe the pressure of Davis Cup got the best of him.”
The Philippines is hoping to make a leap to elite Group 1. A loss here would relegate the country to Group 2 where it has stayed since 2012. Marc Anthony Reyes