MANILA, Philippines – Filipino tennis player Treat Conrad Huey lost to Tatsuma Ito despite putting up a gallant stand against the Japanese during the opening day of the Davis Cup tennis Asia-Oceania zone Group 1 war between the Philippines and Japan.

The scores were 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in favor of Ito after 3 hours and 30 minutes of play at the Namihaya Dome indoor court in Osaka, Japan.

“He lost his serve in the 10th game of the 5th set,” said RP team coordinator Randy Villanueva of Huey. “It was really a tough game. Maybe the home crowd got the best of him.”

The Philippine team is composed of Huey, Cecil Mamiit, Francis Casey Alcantara and Johnny Arcilla.

RP team coach Chris Cuarto earlier admitted that the home court advantage could affect the team.

“The surface, on the environment, doon lang talaga tayo medyo maapektuhan,” he said.

Next to play for the Philippines will be Mamiit, who will face Japan’s top player Go Soeda. With a report from Agence France-Presse