FILE –Philippines’ Marian Capadocia connects a backhand against Indonesia in the 2019 SEA Games. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
After a three-year absence, the Philippines is back in the Davis Cup scene, a reactivation that would hopefully trigger a renaissance in the sport for the country.
“We haven’t played in the Davis Cup the past three years. This is a welcome development not only for us players, but also for Philippine tennis in general,’’ said topnotch Filipino netter Casey Alcantara after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) gave the country the break to assemble its best players and return to action.
This, after the world governing body in the sport lifted the suspension of the Philippine Tennis Association that lasted for three years because of political in-fighting that dragged the sport to the veritable pit.
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The ITF announced the reinstatement of the Philippines in the global tennis community following the ITF-ordered and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)-supervised Philta elections last month as the new Philta board of trustees is now headed by Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez as president.
“I am pleased to confirm that the ITF board of directors has decided to lift the suspension of the Philippine Tennis Association in accordance with Article 5 of the ITF constitution,’’ said ITF president David Haggerty in a letter dated January 21 to POC president Bambol Tolentino.
“Philta’s return to active ITF membership is a significant moment for tennis in the Philippines and the Asian region, and the ITF is highly motivated to support Philta in its efforts to develop, grow and promote the sport in the coming years,’’ wrote Haggerty.
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It will clearly benefit the nation’s tournament-starved national team along with its biggest star—regular Women’s Tennis Association campaigner, Alex Eala.
The 2022 US Open girls singles champion netted two bronze medals in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last year in the women’s singles and the mixed doubles with Alcantara.
Tolentino thanked Haggerty and the ITF for their swiftness in reinstating Philta, which was suspended for three years on governance issues among its past leaders.