PH lands 8th in Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying match

Michael Francis Eala II with coach Patrick John Tierro during Saturday’s match against India. (Photo courtesy: Michael Francis Eala via PNA)

MANILA — The Philippines bowed to India, 0-2, to settle for eighth place in the Under-16 Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying tournament at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) hard court in Kuching, Malaysia on Saturday.

Jose Antonio Tria lost to Sandeep Vengatesan Mohandoos, 0-6, 5-7, in the first singles while Michael Francis Eala was forced to withdraw due to cramps after the second set won Dev Vipul Javia, 7-6 (5). Eala won the first set, 7-5.

Meanwhile, Japan defeated Uzbekistan, 3-0, in the championship round. Shintaro Mochizuki won the first singles over Azizbek Dadabaev, 6-4, 6-4; Shunsuke Mitsui downed Olimjon Nabiev, 6-1, 6-3, in the second singles while Kei Manaka and Mitsui prevailed over Dadabaev and Nabiev, 6-3, 6-1, in the doubles.

Australia blasted Hong Kong, 2-0, to finish third. Cooper White won over Chak Lam Coleman Wong, 6-4, 6-4, while Tai Leonard Sach defeated Tim Thomas Gauntlett, 6-1, 6-4.

Japan, Uzbekistan, Australia and Hong Kong have earned slots in the World Finals later this year.

Meanwhile, China won over South Korea, 2-1, to finish fifth while New Zealand downed Thailand, 2-1, for ninth place.

Indonesia clobbered Chinese Taipei, 2-0, for 11th place, Pakistan beat Kazakhstan, 2-1, for 13th place and Pacific Oceania trounced Singapore, 2-1, for 15th place.

In the round-robin elimination round, Japan swept its Group A assignments (Pacific Oceania, 3-0; Singapore, 3-0; and the Philippines, 2-0); Philippines won over Singapore, 2-1, and Pacific Oceania, 2-1, while Pacific Oceania beat Singapore (2-1).

In Group B, Uzbekistan defeated Chinese Taipei (2-1), China (2-1) and Indonesia (3-0); China downed Indonesia (2-1) and Chinese Taipei (2-0) while Chinese Taipei prevailed over Indonesia (2-1).

In Group C, South Korea downed Thailand (3-0), Pakistan (2-1) and India (2-1); India won over Pakistan (3-0) and Thailand (2-1) while Thailand defeated Pakistan (2-1). In Group D, Australia outclassed New Zealand (3-0), Kazakhstan (3-0) and Hong Kong (3-0); Hong Kong clobbered New Zealand (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0) while New Zealand scored a 2-0 victory over Kazakhstan (2-0).

The top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.