FILE PHOTO
It was Ruben Gonzales’ big fighting heart that brought the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippines to the threshold of Davis Cup tie victory against Kuwait.
That was the consensus of team officials who never lost hope even though the 30-year-old veteran lost a two-sets-to-none lead to trail 1-4 in the fifth set, and even face match point at 3-5, 30-40 Friday night.
“He was the hero of that evening,” said team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier ahead of Saturday night’s doubles match that could clinch the Asia/Oceania Group 2 tie for the hosts.
World No. 30 Treat Huey and former Australian Open junior champion Francis Casey Alcantara were battling Ghareeb and Abdulhamin Mubarak late Saturday.
Lhuillier said Gonzales displayed the true Filipino spirit during a four-hour mano-a-mano against Kuwait’s top gun Mohammad Al Ghareeb, who eventually gave up due to cramps.
Jeson Patrombon routed Abdulrahman Alawadhi (6-0, 6-2, 6-1) in the opening singles before Gonzales pulled the 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 1-6, 6-7 (8-6), 5-5 (ret) victory over Ghareeb.