EVEN without top star Alex Eala, the national women’s tennis squad will aim for a top-two finish to gain promotion in the Asiana-Oceania Group 2 of the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Federation Cup, unfolding on June 16 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“It is unfortunate that due to her conflict in schedule, Alex won’t be with us as she prepares for the Wimbledon Open, although she definitely would like to be with us,” said national women’s tennis squad team captain Denise Dy yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at the PSC conference room.
A former national player and the 2015 Singapore Southeast Asian Games mixed doubles gold medalist, Dy, however, was confident about the chances of the squad composed of Shaira Hope Rivera, Alexa Joy Milliam and promising junior netters Tennielle Madis and Stefi Marithe Aludo in the world’s premier women’s team tournament organized by the International Tennis Federation.
Joining them in the public sports program supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, San Miguel Corp., Smart/PLDT, Milo and gaming portal ArenaPlus, was former national netter and Philippine Tennis Association Dyan Castillejo and Philippine Tennis Academy head coach Bobby Angelo, who will be Dy’s deputy.
Eala played a pivotal role in the Philippines gaining promotion from Asia-Oceania Group 3 of the meet held last November 2024 in Manama, Bahrain, as the Pinay netters swept Laos 2-0 in the semis, gaining promotion to Group 2.
But the meet’s format has been revised since then, with the top two squads from two brackets of five teams each advancing to the crossover finals, with the finalists facing off for group honors in the best-of-three tie while being elevated to Group 1.
Angelo, who handles Madis and Aludo, said the nine other teams are Indonesia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Northern Marianas Islands, Pacific-Oceania, Singapore and Uzbekistan, with the draw scheduled for Sunday.
Dy is banking on Rivera and Milliam, now both varsity mainstays for US NCAA Division 2 school of University of West Alabama, to carry the cudgels for the Nationals while hoping Maddis, 17, and Aludo, 16, would also get the opportunity to play.
Similar to the Davis Cup, the global men’s team tournament also organized by the ITF, teams tangle in a best-of-three series composed of two singles matches plus a doubles match serving as a tie-breaker in the event of a deadlock after singles play, she explained.
Now the head coach of US NCAA Division 1 school Fresno State, Dy said “The rankings of our players in the ITF ratings do not reflect the talent and performance of our national players.”
She pointed out Rivera was No. 1 in the women’s doubles in NCAA Division 2 while freshman Milliam was No. 18 in the women’s singles.
“What’s important to know is that college competition in the US is super competitive and the athletes play several matches per week,” Castillejo pointed out, on how battle-tested both Rivera and Milliam were.
Maddis and Saludo said that playing for the national senior team was a great honor.
“Gusto ko maibigay ang lahat sa karangalan makapaglaro sa national team,” Saludo said of her PH team debut in the Malaysian capital next week.
