Davis Cup: RP takes 2-0 lead vs Kuwait

The Philippines raced to a big 2-0 lead in its Asia-Oceania Zone Davis Cup Group II finals tie with Kuwait Friday but suffered a minor setback when top netter Cecil Mamiit was afflicted with allergy from a "certain toxic ingredient" after taking his dinner, the RP team management said Saturday in a press statement. Mamiit was rushed by non-playing captain Martin Misa and coach Chris Cuarto at 12 midnight Friday to the New Dor Al Shifa hospital, where he was given Telfast tablets and was advised to take a rest for at least three days. "This is the first time that I had this (allergy). We've been eating 'tinolang manok’ the past few days but this time something in the food caused this, I think," the 31-year-old Mamiit said. The sudden twist of events somewhat spoiled the victories of Mamiit and fellow Filipino-American Eric Taino in the opening singles of the best-of-five matches tie. Mamiit thumped Ahmad Rabeea Muhammad, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0, after which Taino waylaid Kuwaiti No. 1 Mohammad Al-Ghareeb, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (5). The Filipinos go for the jugular on Saturday when Mamiit, depending on his condition, and Taino clash with Al-Ghareeb and Muhammad in the pivotal doubles match at 6 p.m. (11 p.m. in Manila) on Saturday. However, Misa said if Mamiit were not in the condition to play, he would put in either Patrick John Tierro or Johnny Arcilla to team up with Taino. The reverse singles will be played Sunday. In the first match, a tigerish stance by Muhammad against a seemingly tentative Mamiit had the outnumbered Kuwaiti gallery cheering loudly as the 20-year-old Kuwaiti, only in his eighth Davis Cup singles action, took the first five games to post a 3-2 lead in the first set. However, that proved to be his best showing as Mamiit saddled up to take the next 16 games for a 1-0 Philippines lead. In the next match, Al-Ghareeb sent the Kuwaitis into a frenzy anew by breaking Taino's serve in the second game for a 2-0 first set lead. However, their celebration abruptly ended when Taino broke back in the second game to ignite a six game streak for the first set win. Taino gained the upper hand with a service break in the seventh game for a yet another six-game run for a two-set lead and a 3-0 edge in the third set. Al-Ghareeb, however, managed to even the set with a break in the fifth game and the next six games went according to serve with Taino squandering five match points in the 12th game. In the tiebreak, Al-Ghareeb took leads of 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 but wasted this with errors in the next three points to hand the match to Taino after two hours and 31 minutes. - GMANews.TV