Philippine tennis stays alive in Billie Jean King Cup

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Varsity standout Shaira Hope Rivera fuels Philippine tennis’ bid for a women’s team promotion in the Billie Jean King Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Former Ateneo star Shaira Hope Rivera played heroine twice over to help a young and revamped Philippine women’s tennis team stay alive in the Billie Jean King Cup Asia Oceania Group II on Tuesday, June 17, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The incoming senior for the US NCAA Division II school University of West Alabama (UWA), where she is a doubles specialist, was thrust into the second singles match and delivered, beating Uzbekistan’s top player Nigina Abduraimova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, to keep the Philippines in the tie after they fell behind early.

Junior standout Tennielle Madis could not sustain her strong start, falling in the first singles match against world No. 802 Daria Shubina, 6-4, 3-6, 1-6. 

National team coach Denise Dy then rolled the dice and decided to replace the Philippines’ top singles player, Alexa Milliam, with the 25-year-old Rivera, the only holdover from a Philippine team returning from suspension that topped Group III last November in Manama, Bahrain. 

After breezing through the opening set, Rivera had to fend off the former world No. 144 from Uzbekistan, who drew even in the second set but ran out of steam in the third set.

With the tie leveled at one win apiece, Rivera went back to the court to partner for the deciding doubles match with her UWA teammate Milliam, the US Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Freshman of the Year last season.

Rivera and the 20-year-old Milliam found themselves down early against Shubina and Abduraimova after the Uzbeks swept the last three games of the opening set. But the Filipinas fought back valiantly to claim the second set, sending the match to a super tiebreak. 

Milliam and Rivera jumped the gun on the Uzbeks and appeared on the way to wrapping up the match after going up 6-3, only for Shubina and Abduraimova to roar back and even the count at 6-6.

The Filipina duo inched closer to a victory when they pulled ahead at 8-6. But once again, the Uzbek pair tied the score at 8-8.

In a battle of nerves with the tie on the line, Rivera and Milliam proved steadier, scoring the last two points to clinch the win against an Uzbek team which has been touted as one of the tournament favorites. 

The Philippines was in dire need of a victory on Tuesday after getting blanked on opening day by Indonesia in Group B action. 

Madis dropped a three-setter to Indonesian Anjali Junarto, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, while Milliam lost in straight sets to Mischka Goenadi, 6-4, 6-4. Rivera teamed up with 16-year-old Stefi Aludo and were downed in three pulsating sets by Cylova Hukmasabiyya and Medyiana Reinnamah, 4-6, 7-5, 10-7.

Dy and assistant coach Bobby Angelo will have a quick turnaround to get the team ready to go for a sweep against Pacific Oceania, which is tied with the Philippines with a 1-1 win-loss card, and the still winless Iran. 

The top two teams from Group B will play the top two teams from Group A in the crossover semifinals, with the winners not only earning spots in the finals but also promotion to Group I. – Rappler.com