Junior Davis Cuppers drop two ties, miss final round

THE CEBUANA Lhuillier-Philippine Junior Davis Cup team missed the final round after dropping two of its first three assignments in the Asia-Oceania round-robin ties being played in Australia.

The Filipinos, represented by Eric Olivarez Jr., Jurence Zosimo Mendoza and Kyle Parpan, lost to New Zealand (0-3) and Australia (0-2) in between a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.

In the tie with NZ, Kyle Butters crushed Olivarez, 6-1, 6-1; Alex Klintcharov edged Mendoza, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; before the pair of Buttters and William Matheson ripped Mendoza and Parpan, 6-1, 6-4.

The Australians relied on Daniel Guccione, who whipped Parpan, 6-1, 6-1, and Li Tu who downed Mendoza, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Scoring for the Filipinos against Kazakhstan were Mendoza, who bested Roman Khssanov, 6-3, 6-1, and the pair of Mendoza and Parpan, who downed Zhansultan Chembotayev and Alexander Kim, 6-3, 6-4.

The Filipino netters were to face six other countries to determine their final placings in the region. Marc Anthony Reyes