|
Cecil
Mamiit, main man of the RP Cebuana Lhuillier-Davis Cup team,
is confident of the country's chances against Japan when they
dispute the Asia Oceania Group 1 tie Feb. 8-10 at the Rizal
Memorial Tennis Center.
Slipping
into the country last Thursday, Mamiit, 31, said he had faced
most of the Japanese including top gun Takao Suzuki whom he
has a 1-1 head-on slate.
"I'm
glad that we are hosting the tie. They (Japanese) are gonna
be tough for sure," said the back-to-back Southeast Asian
Games singles champ. "But we are happy that we are in
a position to accomplish our goal which is to make the World
Group."
He
was supposed to leave for Guangzhou in a Challenger tournament
that should have served as tune-up tournament prior to the
Davis Cup tie which will have Head, Prince, Smart, Phiten
and Cebuana Lhuillier as domestic sponsors.
|
|
|
But
he encountered Chinese visa problems and will instead
train in different courts in the country including Subic
and Manila Polo Club.
"We
still don't know who we will go against. They (Japanese)
have seven players to choose from because they have
a full team," added Mamiit.
He
just came from a Hawaii tournament where he competed
at the last minute because it's on the way to Asia from
his home in California.
Unfortunately,
Mamiit dropped in the first round, blaming his long
trip and his rigid workout a few days before the competition.
|
But
the ace netter, who steered the country to eight straight
tie victories that redeemed us from Group 3 to Group 1 in
two years, said the hometown crowd will be the key in the
three-day event.
"They
are beatable but they can also beat us. So it's evenly matched,"
he said.
"Hopefully
a lot of people will come out to watch us," said Mamiit,
echoing the call of team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier for
the crowd to root for the RP team.
|
