MANILA—Japan dominated almost the same lineup that swept the Philippines last year but local officials yesterday said the host team remained confident it can reverse the outcome this time.

Go Soeda, Tatsuma Ito and Takao Suzuki will banner the Japanese squad that will arrive in the country Feb. 26 to take on the Filipinos in their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group A tie next week in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu.

But instead of Toshihide Matsui, who helped blanked the Philippines last year in Osaka, they will bring in Yuichi Sugita.

Sugita, 22, was part of the 2008 team that also blanked the country at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. But the main guy will be 26-year-old Soeda, who has the highest singles ranking in the tie at 108th in the world. Eiji Takeuchi will be team captain.

The country’s Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva said the Japanese are “beatable” due to several factors that should help the Philippines’ cause.

“All the opposites of what they did last year we are doing this year,” said Villanueva.

This year’s tie will be held in open air as opposed to the indoor courts in Japan, and amid the tropical weather in contrast to the wintry conditions in the Osaka.

The tie will also be played at the slow clay-shell court of the Plantation Bay Spa and Resort in Lapu Lapu City, while last year’s tie was disputed on fast carpet courts in Namihaya.

“And of course, we will be playing before the hometown crowd,” said Villanueva. “We can say that the team is confident and well prepared.”

However, there were reports Japanese tennis fans have been buying tickets in bulk to support their players.

Three years ago, Japan relegated the Philippines via a sweep but not before Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino put up big fights in the opening singles that were decided in five sets.

Last year, Treat Huey dropped the first opening singles against Ito, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, before Mamiit bowed to Soeda, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Marc Anthony Reyes, Phil. Daily Inquirer