The three-day event fires off tomorrow at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu with the Filipinos hoping to finally end the Japanese three Davis Cup romps.

Usually, the top player of a team faces the second-ranked player of the opposing squad and vice versa.

There will be two singles matches in the opening day, while the doubles will be played in the second day. The final day will be for the reverse singles.

In the Phl’s last Davis Cup match with Japan in Osaka, Treat Huey played the first singles against Tatsuma Ito with the former dropping a five-setter, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

In the second singles, Cecil Mamiit also succumbed to Go Soeda in four, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Ito and Soeda are back to reassert their mastery over Mamiit and Huey.

Japan, which swept the Philippines, 5-0, in their previous encounter, fields the same roster except for Yuichi Sugita.

The same goes to the hosts, save for Vicente Elberto Anasta, a substitute for Niño Alcantara who is currently under a scholarship program at Fresno State University.

Patrick John Tierro is put in the reserve list although Philippines Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva said earlier Tierro might be able to play if he performs well during the training.

Mamiit and Huey can also play all the way to the doubles just like last year.

However, Manila-based Cebuano Johnny Arcilla is also expected to team up with Mamiit in the doubles.

A win by the Philippines would boost their bid for a return stint to the World Group again and a possible next round match with Uzbekistan of New Zealand. The last time the country made it to the World Group was in 1991.

Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, Philippine Star