Onward Philippines: Philippines Clash with Japan in Davis Cup Asia

World tennis is just going to be around the corner, as the Philippine National tennis team clash with Japan in the first round of the 2011 Davis Cup Asian/Oceana Zone, which will be held here in the Queen City of the south, Cebu tomorrow.

The RP team led by Cecil Mamiit are joined by Treat Huey, Johnny Arcilla, and Vicente Anasta.

This will be a big challenge for our RP team, since a home crowd will play a big factor including the warm weather and the shell surface, which Japan is going to have a hard time to adjust.

The Philippines is ranked 35 as opposed to Japan, who is ranked 28. We will be playing underdogs again against a powerhouse team, but this time the games will be playing under our turf.

In an article form The Philippine Star Team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier expressed his confidence in our team, despite its low ranking.

“I like our chances,” said Lhuillier. “We’ve got the homecourt advantage. We’ll be playing on a shell surface and that’s a major plus for us. The Japanese aren’t used to that surface.

The Davis Cup is played on a team type format, having a single match, a double, and another single on the final day.

The Philippines is placed on Group 1 of the Davis cup, together with Australia, Taiwan, China, Japan, New Zealand and Uzbekistan.

2nd round play-offs

1st round play-offs

1st round

4–6 March

2nd round