The Thailand Davis Cup team completed its mastery over the Filipino Cuppers with a 5-0 demolition to advance in the final round of the Asia Oceania Zone Group II tie yesterday in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Already virtually assured of the tie victory in their best-of-five series, the Thais did not settle for anything less as Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul and Jirat Navarsirisomboon blasted their respective Filipino rivals in the non-bearing reverse singles matches.
Wishaya clobbered PJ Tierro, 6-4, 6-1, while Jirat dispatched junior netter AJ Lim, 6-4, 6-2, to sweep the series.
The Thais already made their campaign felt in the first day of affair with Wishaya routing Lim, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-3, and Jirat outclassing Jeson Patrombon, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-1.
They nailed the tie victory at the expense of Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana’s dominating 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Patrombon and Tierro on Saturday’s doubles.
While Thailand inched closer to its bid to regain a seat in Group I next year, the PH team remained in Group II in 2018 for he seventh straight year.
The last time the Filipinos made it to the elite Group I was in 2011 when veteran Fil-Am Cecil Mamiit headed the team.
The PH Davis Cup team’s failed campaign saw the absence of its top guns Treat Huey, Ruben Gonzales, and Francis Casey Alcantara citing various injuries but were reportedly sympathetic to the camp of Jean Henri Luillier over Col Buddy Andrada in the tennis association’s continuing leadership row. (Kristel Satumbaga)