Gonzales, Tierro give PH Cuppers 2-0 edge

MANILA, Philippines — Showing impressive sharpness on a dusty court, the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippines squad put away the opening singles Friday and built a commanding 2-0 lead over Pakistan in their Davis Cup duel at PCA courts in Paco, Manila.

Ruben Gonzales and Patrick John Tierro didn’t give up a set on their way to comprehensive routs of Samir Ifthikar and Aqeel Khan, respectively, as the Filipinos moved within a win of clinching the Asia/Oceania Group 2 semifinal tie.

Filipino No. 1 Gonzales drubbed Ifthikar, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, after Tierro had crushed Pakistan top man Khan, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, in the searing heat.

A victory for Treat Huey and Johnny Arcilla over the highly regarded Aisam Qureshi and Khan in today’s doubles match at 1 p.m. will secure the tie for the hosts.

Team captains have the option to replace players one hour before the match, and the Philippines’ Roland Kraut is said to be considering fielding power-hitter Gonzales in place of the deliberate and slower-playing Arcilla to bolster the country’s chances.

Huey is ranked 25th in the world in doubles, while Qureshi is No. 27, reason why tennis fans are looking forward to the doubles showdown at the hot PCA clay-shell indoor court.

“This court allows me to be more creative with my shots. Thankfully, most of them went in [in this match],” said Gonzales, who faced break point only in the seventh game of the third set, 30-40, while holding a 5-1 lead.

But the Filipino ace from University of Illinois bailed himself out with a couple of winners to finally thwart Ifthikar, the 22-year-old last-minute replacement for Muhammad Abid, for the match.

Tierro, who has worked for two years for the Tennis Academy of the Philippines Foundation as a coach, said he felt like his playing career has been reborn, especially after making a surprise semifinal appearance in last week’s Olivarez Cup-Futures.

“I was already coaching, but later on they (TAPF) told me, ‘Hey, you can still play.’”

Play he still can as he riddled the corners with gutsy shots, working deep down the baseline to get the 34-year-old Khan all worked up and confused.

Tierro stormed to 5-2 in the third set and was serving for the match when Khan made a last-ditch stand.

Showing much pride despite obviously wilting from the heat, Khan broke Tierro and then held serve to crawl within 4-5.

“I was jittery and tentative but coach [Kraut] told me to just inhale and exhale,” said Tierro.

Khan worked behind a solid serve and raced to a 4-2 lead in the second set.

But the 28-year-old Tierro, who knew his way around the soft, dusty surface, controlled the bounce and broke Khan twice, the second clinched through a backhand rocket that the Pakistani completely missed, to seize the set for a 2-0 lead.

“This is a great feeling for me winning the first singles,” said Tierro, who before the match had lost five straight Davis Cup singles, the last in February in Sri Lanka.