THE Philippine lawn tennis team advances to the second round after besting Indonesia, 4-1 in the Davis Cup Asia II first round, which ended Sunday at the Philippine Columbian Association open clay courts in Paco, Manila.
Ruben Gonzales and Alberto Lim sealed the victory for the Philippine colors after defeating their respective Indonesian rivals in the last two matches.
The veteran Gonzales swept David Agung Susanto in three sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, in the fourth singles.
The 18-year-old Lim, the team's rookie member, put the exclamation after beating the younger Anthony Susanto, 7-5, 6-3 in the fifth and final singles.
On Saturday, the RP Davies Cup snatched the lead with Treat Huey and Francis Casey Alcantara winning in the doubles match.
Huey and the Cagayan de Oro pride held David and Sunu-Wahyu Trijati in three sets, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 after holding Indonesia to a one-all deadlock in the opener.
The elder Susanto greeted the Philippine team with a loss, after Lim retired from a one-all deadlock in the deciding fifth set in the first singles.
But Gonzales saved the day when he avenged the defeat with a sweeping win against Aditya Hari Sasongko, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, in the second singles.