RECOVERING from an opening day loss, the Philippines banked on tried and tested veterans Shaira Hope Rivera and Alexa William to pull off a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 key doubles win over Uzbekistan’s Daria Shubina and Nigina Abduraimova yesterday for a 2-1 team victory in Group 2 of the Asia-Oceania Zone of the Billie Jean King Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Both varsity mainstays at the University of West Alabama, Rivera and William kept their poise after a first-set loss to surge past the Uzbek pair and complete the comeback after one hour and 19 minutes of action at the Malaysia Tennis Center.
With the score tied at 8-all, the Uzbeks muffed an overhead smash before William wrapped it up with a hard backhand volley.
Prodigy Tenielle Madis, 16, opened brightly in taking the first set but couldn’t hang and fell to Daria Shubina, who rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win in the first singles.
Rivera came to the rescue, knotting the best-of-3 tie in the second singles with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 triumph over Abduraimova to keep the Filipinas’ hopes alive.
Aiming for promotion to Asia-Oceania Group 1 as one of the two finalists in the tournament, the Philippines will eye their second straight win today in Bracket B against Pacific-Oceania, which took a 1-2 defeat to Indonesia in the other match for a 1-1 win-loss record.
The Pinay netters earlier absorbed a 0-3 beating in their opener in the bracket against Indonesia last Monday.
After winning the first set, teener Madis, 17, took a 5-7, 1-6, 3- 6 setback to Indon Anjali Kirana Junarto, then William dropped a close 4-6, 4-6 decision to Mishcka Sinclair Goenadi.
The Indons completed their sweep as the pair of Cylova Hukmasabiyya and Meydiana Reinnama came from behind to slip past the Pinay tandem of Stefi Aludo and Rivera 4-6, 7-5, 10-7.
