Race: RP is team to beat in Group II

Pacific Oceania captain Jeff Race of the CNMI said the islanders’ Davis Cup draw for 2007 is the toughest the team has ever seen and picked the souped-up Philippine squad as the team to beat in Group II of the Asia/Oceania Zone competition.

“This is the toughest draw we have faced in Group II. I expect the Philippines to make a run for Group I, even though they are just coming up from Group III,” he said.

Race said he expects to bring back all four members from the 2006 team— Michael Leong of Solomon Islanders, West Nott of Marshall Islanders, Juan Sebastian Langton of Samoa, and Brett Baudinett of Cook Islands—although he doesn’t dismiss the possibility of bringing in new talent.

“The core of the team will be there, although we may look at some minor additions,” he said. “Some of the guys have been playing tennis and some have been doing other things. The ones who have been playing more will get greater consideration for a spot.”

The many time CNMI National tennis player and coach said while Pacific Oceania will have an uphill climb in the 2007 edition of the Davis Cup, the same cannot be said of the Philippine team, as the Pearl of the Orient is expected to experience a Renaissance in the sport not seen since the heyday of greats Felicisimo Ampon and Felix Barrientos.

“They [New Zealand] have two Americans in the ATP Top 300 who were granted citizenship so they could play on the team. Regardless of whether you think its fair or not, the ITF (International Tennis Federation) has given them the go ahead,” he said.

Race added that the Philippine team is loaded with talent, especially in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.

“Their No. 2 man, Cecil Mamiit, is an NCAA champion and the other, Eric Taino, is even better. They will be the best if those guys play,” he said.

The Philippines will take on Pakistan in Round 1 of Asia/Oceania Zone Group II competition set on Feb. 9-11, 2007. The winner advances to play the victor of the tie between Pacific Oceania and New Zealand set on the same date.

Race said while the Philippines is the team to beat in Group, the New Zealand team is nothing to sneeze at and looms as the darkhorse in the competition, which only makes Pacific Oceania’s mission to stay in Group II in 2007 doubly harder.

“They have a strong tennis tradition but I hope our guys can play their best and take them by surprise. We will have to play the best tennis of the past three years to stay in Group II this year. If we can stay in Group II again this year, given the competition, that will be huge.” he said.

Race said Pacific Oceania team manager Pat O’Rourke will soon meet with the Oceania Tennis Federation executive committee to take a look at the team’s budget for getting in an event or two before the tie against New Zealand.

Pacific Oceania went up two places in the Davis Cup rankings following its 3-2 win over Malaysia in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II relegation tie in early April 2006 in Noumea, New Caledonia.

From 65th, the islanders improved to 63rd in the latest Davis Cup rankings posted at www.daviscup.com/ranking/current.asp with 128.8 points. Malaysia, for its part, maintained its 80th rankings with 25 points, but returned to Group III after being promoted to Group II last year.

Race was happy with the promotion and said that the islanders being ranked in the upper half of the 139-nation Davis Cup is a great development in terms of sports for the region.

Trailing 1-2 coming into the third and final day of the tie, Pacific Oceania clinched the victory against Malaysia by sweeping the reverse singles April 9 on the hardcourts at Ligue Caledonienne de Tennis Stadium, headquarters of Ligue Caledonienne de tennis.