Puerto Rico blank TT in Davis Cup

TRINIDAD and Tobago succumbed to top-seeded Puerto Rico in their Group “B” Davis Cup Americas Group III first round tie on the centre court of the Jean Pierre Sports Complex yesterday.

Spearheaded by the Stone brothers Troy and Shane, TT faced their toughest opponent in their quest to get back into Group II, but were beaten 3-0 by the much-more efficient Puerto Ricans. Troy Stone, the number two singles player, found no answer to 20-year-old newly-crowned Puerto Rican senior champion Luis Haddock, and went down 1-6, 2-6. Haddock, a student at the University of Notre Dame and ranked among the top 10 juniors in the United States, needed 90 minutes to make a statement in his first Davis Cup outing. His victory provided inspiration for the rest of his compatriots.

The experienced Shane Stone was expected to hold off Gilberto Montilla but committed too many unforced errors, and was clearly upset with many line calls which eventually affected his overall game. He fought on  bravely to level the match set all, after the former three-time Puerto Rican national senior champion Montilla won the first set 6-3. Stone took the second 4-6. But Montilla played sensibly to take the decisive third set 6-2 after one hour and 50 minutes. Gilberto Alvarez joined Montilla to whip the Stone brothers 7-6, 6-4. in straight sets to win the doubles. Guatemala, playing on court one, also secured  a comfortable 3-0 win over St Lucia in the other Group B tie. Walter Barahona, 19, beat Vernon Lewis 6-3, 4-6,  7-5, while 35-year-old Rodrigo Gabriel toyed with Sirsean Arlean in winning 6-1, 6-2. Jorge Tejada and Christian Paiz then whipped Lewis and Yves Sinson 6-3, in the doubles. Jamaica (2-1) and El Salvador (3-0) won their Group A ties against Bolivia and Honduras on courts three and four respectively.

Davis Cup Results (First Day):
GROUP A — JAMAICA beat Bolivia 2-1 — Ryan Russell bt Javier Tabogra 6-4, 6-2; Dustin Brown bt Alberto Sottocorno 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3; Nakia Gordon and Ryan Russell lost to Alberto Sottocorno and Javier Tabogra 6-2, 3-6, 4-6.
EL SALVADOR beat Honduras 3-0 — Rafeal Arevalo bt Carlos Caceres 4-6, 6-3,  6-4; Jaime Cuellar bt Carlton Alvarez 6-1, 6-0; Jose Baires and Augusto Senabira 3-6,  6-7.

GROUP B — PUERTO RICO beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 - Luis Haddock bt Troy Stone 6-1, 6-2; Gabrial Montilla bt Shane Stone 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Gilberto Alvarez and Gabriel Montilla bt Troy and Shane Stone 7-6, 6-4.
GUATEMALA beat St Lucia 3-0 — Walter Barahona bt Vernon Lewis 6-3, 4-6,  7-5; Rodrigo Gabriel bt Sirsean Arlean 6-1, 6-2; Jorge Tejada and Christian Paiz bt Lewis and Yves Sinson 6-3, 6-3.