By Kristel Satumbaga
Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales breathed life for the Philippines on Saturday after edging Petros Tsitsipas and Markos Kalovelonis 7-6 (5), 6-4, for its first win against Greece in their World Group II Davis Cup playoff tie at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt.
Philippines’ Ruben Gonzales returns the ball to the Greeks in the doubles match of Davis Cup World Group II playoff tie at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila, March 7, 2020. (MB Photo / Mark Balmores)
Pumped up by the energetic crowd, Alcantara and Gonzales showed chemistry especially in the crucial stretches despite playing together for the first time since 2017.
The Greeks are still ahead 2-1 in this best-of-five affair with Stefanos Tsitsipas playing against Jeson Patrombon as of this writing in hopes of closing the tie in their favor.
The other reverse singles pit Petros against AJ Lim.
The Greeks took a commanding 2-0 lead in Friday’s singles with Stefanos trouncing Lim, and Petros routing Patrombon with similar 6-2, 6-1 scores.
“The crowd was amazing. There’s a big reason why we played very well: it’s because of them,” said Gonzales on his first Davis Cup tie in three years.
“The crowd pumped us. We were down na, but it was the crowd who gave us the energy to keep going,” Alcantara said.
Petros Tsitsipas of Greece serves the ball to the Filipinos in the doubles match of Davis Cup World Group II playoff tie at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila, March 7, 2020. (MB Photo / Mark Balmores)
The Filipinos banked on their strong start at the tiebreak after with a 4-1 lead and held on to set the rhythm. However, they briefly lost steam with a 3-1 deficit in the second frame before pulling themselves up.
Petros and Kalovelonis credited the Filipinos’ talent and resolve.
Markos Kalovelonis of Greece returns the ball to the Filipinos in the doubles match of Davis Cup World Group II playoff tie at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila, March 7, 2020. (MB Photo / Mark Balmores)
“It was a very good game for both teams. We had some ups and downs especially in the tiebreak, but they played really good. They had good chemistry. Hopefully we get some benefits from this match,” said Petros.
“We tried our best. The level of game today was really close. We lost some important points and in this high level of matches, those small points matter,” said Markos.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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