Philippines and Northern Mariana Islands Qualify for Billie Jean King Cup Group II Playoffs

TDT | Manama

Email: hussianm@newsofbahrain.com

 In the final round of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group III qualifiers, the Philippines secured their spot in the Group II playoffs for next year after a commanding 2-0 win over Laos. The match saw a large turnout from the Filipino community in Bahrain, who turned out in full force to cheer on their team, which didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance worthy of their supporters.

Dominant Performance by the Philippines

Filipina player Kapadokia was quick to dominate her match against Macao’s Fonisami, winning effortlessly 6-0, 6-0 to give the Philippines an early advantage. In the second singles match, 158th-ranked Alexandra Eala solidified her team’s position with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 win over Macao’s Malailak Delilah, securing the Philippines’ passage into the Group II qualifiers.

Historic Qualification for the Northern Mariana Islands

Meanwhile, the Northern Mariana Islands women's team made history by qualifying for the Group II qualifiers, defeating Myanmar 2-1 in a thrilling encounter. In the opening singles match, Myanmar’s Nilar Win triumphed over Northern Mariana's Maria Heras 6-3, 6-2, but the Islanders responded strongly. Carol Lee of Northern Mariana Islands beat Myanmar's Htay Mint 6-0, 6-0, leveling the tie. The qualification was sealed in the doubles match as Heras and Lee defeated Myanmar’s Nilar Win and Thiri Zaw 6-1, 6-3.

Award Ceremony and Recognition

At the end of the competition, the qualifying teams were honored in a ceremony attended by Bahrain Tennis Federation Secretary-General Mr. Fouad Al-Ruwaiei and Board Member Mr. Mohamed Salman. In addition to the team awards, special recognition was given to the chair umpire, Swerin Fremil, and the tournament officials, including the Chief Referee Abhishek Mukherjee and Assistant Referee Joy Khalil.

Mr. Al-Ruwaiei expressed his satisfaction with the successful hosting of the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup qualifiers, attributing the event’s success to the efforts of the organizing team and the leadership of His Excellency Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Tennis Federation.