EXCITING RP-SRI LANKA DAVIS CUP TENNIS TIE KICKS OFF TODAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 05 Mar 2015
The Asia-Oceania Group II Davis Cup tie between the Philippines and Sri Lanka begins today at the spanking new shell court of the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig with both team captains predicting a close tie anchored on some exciting matches.
Sri Lankan captain Rohan Silva who was an outstanding player in his time said he hopes the Lankans who have a good team will do well after a 3-1 defeat to the Filipinos last year in Colombo and having lost all previous eight cup ties against the Philippines.
The Philippines No.1 PJ Tierro was drawn to play talented Harshana Godamanna in a repeat of last year?s opening singles when Godamanna won a hard fought five set victory in Colombo 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 while Ruben Gonzales will face 18 year old Davis Cup newcomer Sharmal Dissanayke who, according to Philta vice president Randy Villanueva has ?lots of international experience playing in the juniors? where some years ago he won the boy?s singles in Brunei and recently grabbed an ITF Futures title.
Gonzales was in devastating form last year when he won his singles match against Dineskanthan Thangarajah in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 and teamed up with world ranked Treat Huey in the doubles to demolish Godamanna and Rajeev Rajapaske also in straight sets 6-1, 6-0, 6-1.
But the teenaged Dissanayake is expected to go for his shots and give the experienced Gonzales a testing time.
In the first match which starts at 4:00 p.m. Philippine team captain Roland Kraut believes that Godamanna?s win last year ?puts pressure on him? to repeat against Tierro who told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports ?I feel good and we?ve been practicing a lot.?
Godamanna who played a lot of tennis in the US and said he is ?now mostly teaching? while living in America over the past four years described himself as ?a decent player? who praised Huey and Gonzales in particular who had ?done so much for the game in their careers.?
Godamanna who gave Huey who lost a gripping four-set match against Huey in last year?s tie told the Standard ?we taught each other some lessons last year and I was really honored to play Huey because he was really highly ranked and I want to test myself against top players. I was happy even if I lost to him because playing him was a great honor.?
The Sri Lankan said ?I hope to play him again? but based on the line-up it is uncertain whether the two will meet in the singles but are sure to face off in the doubles on Saturday when the match begins at 3:00 p.m.
Huey told us at a dinner hosted by the board of directors of the Valle Verde Country Club headed by its president Frank Eizmendi on Wednesday ?we are ready for sure. It should be a fun weekend with exciting matches and I hope we win.?
Gonzales predicted ?some good, tight matches? and was looking forward to playing Dissanayake.
The Davis Cup Tie will be telecast over ABS-CBN Sports and Action beginning with the opening day?s singles at 2:00 p.m. Monday, the doubles also at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday and the reverse singles at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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