MANILA, Philippines – Over four years since they last played in the Billie Jean King Cup, the Filipinas showed they deserved a shot at some of the top teams in the region.
Led by teen standout Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s tennis team earned a promotion in international team play after sweeping all their ties in the Asia Oceania Group III of the premier women’s team competition that wrapped up on Saturday, November 30, at the Bahrain Tennis Club in Manama, Bahrain.
The Filipinas did not drop a set against four different countries to gain promotion to Group II in next year’s competition.
Facing Laos In the final promotional playoff offering a ticket to Group II, Marian Capadocia scored a double bagel, 6-0, 6-0, over Phonesamai Champamanivong.
Eala, who at 158th in the world was the highest ranked player in the entire field, followed it up with a 6-1, 6-1 drubbing of Malaylack Pathummakuronen. The no-bearing doubles match was no longer played.
The scoreline was consistent with the results gained the entire tournament by the Philippine team, which is coached by longtime national team member Denise Dy, who is also the head coach of the US NCAA Division I school Fresno State University.
Against Guam in their first tie, the Filipinas pulled off a 3-0 win with Eala and Capadocia both scoring double bagels in the two singles matches.
Khim Iglupas and former Ateneo de Manila star Shaira Hope Rivera scored a 6-1, 6-0 triumph in doubles over Fremont Gibson and Charlayne Espinosa. Both Iglupas and Rivera are part of the University of West Alabama varsity squad.
It was more of the same when the Philippines faced their next foe Qatar.
Rivera got the call to play the first singles and she did not disappoint, downing Hind Al-Mudakha, 6-2, 6-2.
Eala then blanked Mubaraka Al-Naimi, 6-0, 6-0, befrore Capadocia and Iglupas completed the sweep by winning in doubles over Khadija Gassama and Dana Khalifa, 6-3, 6-0.
The last tie during pool play was a total annihilation as the Philippines scored double bagels in both singles matches and in doubles over Nepal.
The last time the country participated in the Billie Jean King Cup was in February 2020 when a team composed of Capadocia, Rivera, and Ana Clarice Patrimonio swept pool play but fell to host New Zealand in the playoff match to miss out on the chance to earn a promotion to Asia Oceania Group I. – Rappler.com