By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine Davis Cup team is treating its World Group II playoff tie loss to Greece as a platform to continue striving for improvement in future ties.
The Filipino Cuppers yielded to the visiting Greeks, 4-1, and was relegated to the Regional Group III under the new tournament format.
Team captain Chris Cuarto said the experience is “a mix of good and bad things” as it opened doors for improvement for them.
“I think we’re still okay. We’re not bad but still, a lot of things have to be done as well,” he said.
“It’s a good exposure for us especially playing against the world No. 6,” Cuarto said, referring to Greece’s main man Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“Not every day you get to play that kind of player because it’s a totally serious match for Tsitsipas, not an exhibition. It was really tough facing a team with a player like him.”
The Filipinos lost all their singles matches with AJ Lim yielding to Stefanos and Jeson Patrombon losing to Petros Tsitsipas in similar 6-2, 6-1 scores, and Jed Olivarez bowing to Petros, 6-4, 7-5, in the dead fifth rubber.
Cuarto is thankful despite the outcome, especially seeing Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales’ 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Petros and Marko Kalovelonis for the Philippine team’s lone win.
Even Greece’s team captain Dimitris Chatzinikolaou was impressed with Alcantara and Gonzales’ talent and chemistry.
“I think that the PH team have great doubles players. When we did the first break in the first set and break in the second set, they increased their level and took the break back. I think it was better than our team,” he said.
Cuarto hopes that the experience would get them more exposure, particularly for the singles players. But it’s going to be tricky.
“More tournaments means more funding. It’s tough. Tennis is a difficult sport because you have to build on it. It’s not like one time, that’s it. Our Philippine Tennis Association president is very generous in getting sponsors for the players but one man cannot do it alone,” he said.
