Arcilla to open PHL bid vs. Syria

PHILIPPINE Davis Cup team member Johnny Arcilla will face Syria’s top seed Issam Haitham Taweel in the first singles match of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 2 tie at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa at 3:30 p.m.

Ruben Gonzales will take on Syria’s No. 2 Marc Abdelnour in the second singles match Arcilla is hoping his experience in the Kia Amateur Australian Open Championship will boost his campaign for the Davis Cup match, the third to be hosted by Lapu-Lapu City in less than two years.

“I was able to reach the semis and lost the chance to advance in the finals after I lost in the point system. However, the experience was worth it and I am going to use it with tomorrow’s match,” the 33-year-old Arcilla said during yesterday’s press conference with Mayor Paz Radaza, councilor Harry Radaza, Randy Villanueva, Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) secretary general Romeo Magat.

Arcilla got the spot in the Australian tournament after winning the PCA men’s open singles last December.

The veteran player also said that although they are familiar with the venue and have the homecourt advantage, they will not be complacent.

“The Philippine team is more experienced than us, they competed in Cebu twice but we will do our best, we will surely give them a good match, “ said 24-year-old Taweel.

Taweel added that the PHL team will also have the advantage with their familiarity of the shell-clay court because they were more exposed with hard courts.

“After we arrived here in Cebu, we trained right away and we have adapted to it already,” said Taweel, who also said he finds the weather in the Philippines as humid and hot.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez said that this will be an exciting game for them as both teams will be playing against each other for the first time.

“We are unfamiliar with each other’s games, we will find that out with tomorrow’s matches,” Gonzalez said.

The doubles on Saturday will be played by Treat Huey and Elbert “Onyok” Anasta against Marc Abdelnour and Majdi Salim.

Lapu-Lapu City first hosted a Davis Cup match between the Philippines and Japan in March 2011 and it was followed by another tie against Chinese Taipie in September.