The final day of the Davis Cup encounter between Sri Lanka and the Philippines ended in despair for the home team and its supporters as the visiting team powered by their key player Treat Huey won the tie 3-1.
The Philippines came into the final day of play with a two match to one advantage and the responsibility of keeping the Sri Lankan hopes alive rested on the shoulders of the experienced and talented Harshana Godamanna who took on Treat Huey.
The first set had the entire Sri Lankan crowd going berserk as Harshana put on a clinical display of Tennis that was nothing short of exceptional. He served with great power and precision and seized the break point opportunities his opponent presented him in order to secure a double break which led to him winning the first set 6-2.
The second set kicked off in similar fashion as Harshana held his serve and broke Huey’s serve to race into a 2-0 lead. Harshana saved a breakpoint in the next game as he managed to hold his serve and move into a commanding 3-0 lead. Both players continued to hold serve and Harshana looked on route to winning the second set however the determined Huey turned his game up a few notches to break back and hold his own serve. The sudden change in momentum caught Harshana off guard as he started to make unforced errors at crucial points which led to Huey taking a crucial 5/4 lead. There was no stopping Huey as his confidence seemed to grow with every passing moment and it was this very same confidence that was portrayed in his style of play as he took the second set 6-4.
At one set apiece the third set was vital and it was Huey who continued to play the better Tennis which resulted in him taking the set with a score line of 6-4. The player from the Phillipines managed to score a single break in the 5th game which proved to be decisive as he went into a two sets to one lead.
Sri Lanka’s hopes were slipping and when Harshana lost his serve twice in quick succession it looked as if Huey was going to finish the Sri Lankan off in style. Huey used the important double break to move into a 4-0 lead which at the time seemed out of reach for the Sri Lankan. However Harshana held his serve in the next game to make it 4-1 which gave the most optimistic members of the Sri Lankan crowd a ray of hope. Both players held their serves to take the score to 5-2 and as Huey stepped up to the line to serve the whole crowd including Harshana realized that it was ‘now or never’. Harshana transitioned into top gear as he started to fight his way back into the match. He broke Huey’s serve to make the score 5-3 and held his own serve to cut the deficit to just one game as the score read 5-4 in favour of Huey. The player from the Philippines was feeling the pressure and the heat as he positioned himself to serve for the match for the second time. And to the delight of the Sri Lankan fans Harshana won three straight points and found himself with three break points and an opportunity to make the score 5-5. Just when the impossible seemed possible for the Sri Lankan, Huey fought his way past all three break points and powered his way through the final game to win fourth and final set 6-4.
Final Score- Treat Huey (Phi) bt Harshana Godamanna (Sri) – 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-4
