Huey, UK partner lose in US clay court final

FILIPINO-AMERICAN Treat Huey and British partner Dominic Inglot dropped the marathon first set and eventually bowed to former champion James Blake and Sam Querrey of the United States, 7-6 (16-14), 6-4, Saturday night in the men’s doubles final of the US clay court championships in Houston.

The 26-year-old Huey, a University of Virginia alumnus and now the main man of the Philippine team, and Inglot stormed into the finals Friday with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 victory over Americans Bobby Reynolds and Michael Russell in the semifinals of the event featuring only the world’s top 250 players.

Huey, who is ranked 50th in the world in doubles, and Inglot still managed to obtain 150 ATP points each for making the finals. They also split the $12,760 runner-up purse.

Blake won the same title in 2004 in tandem with US Davis Cup teammate Mardy Fish. He and Querrey got 250 ATP points and the $24,270 top prize.

Blake and Querrey stunned top seeds Alex Bogomolov Jr. of Russia and American Scott Lipsky, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals.

Huey and Inglot started their campaign with a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) triumph over the Japanese Davis Cup tandem of Tatsuma Ito and Go Soeda.

Huey, who made it to the elite class in doubles last year by winning seven crowns, and Inglot fired three aces compared to their opponents’ two.

They had an even bigger percentage in break points saved with 86 percent compared to Blake and Querrey’s 67, but the Americans were steadier on their serves with 67 percent against their rivals’ 61 percent, according to Internet live statistics. Marc Anthony Reyes