Belgium and Russia clinch Nations Cup

Belgium's Kenneth Cauwenbergh in action against Mahmood Nader of UAE during the semi-finals of Nation Tennis Cup in Dubai on Friday.

 Belgium and Russia went through contrasting paths before claiming the men's and women's crowns in the 22nd Nations Cup tennis championship at the Al Nasr Leisureland (A.N.L.) courts, late on Saturday night.
Defending champions Belgium with the services of an ATP ranked player and two UAE-based coaches triumphed 2-1 against a young Philippine side made up of locally based university students, in an episode that lasted six hours. The Belgians were presented with a purse of Dh20,000 while the runners-up received a cheque for Dh10,000.
The women's summit clash of the week-long championships which was last held in 2010, saw confident Russia stopping the Philippines with a convincing 2-0 victory. The new champions went home richer by Dh10,000 and the Filipina squad, Dh5,000.
World number 680 Jonas Merckx being an invited player, was not allowed to play in the deciding doubles of the three-match format according to the tournament rules. He kept his superb form intact throughout the championship without dropping a set. In the final, Merckx brushed aside the determined challenge of 30-year old Filipino coach in Dubai Michel Qiones 6-1, 6-0, after the latter tried very hard to stay in the match with sharp baseline shots in an attempt to push the young Belgian into unforced errors.
"I tried my best against an international whose skills were of a higher level but some of my shots did trouble Merckx tonight (Saturday)," Qiones told Khaleej Times.
In the first singles, Belgium's Dries Deplan went down fighting 4-6, 2-6 to a younger and fitter Kirk Rebuyas whose blistering forehands down the line were troublesome always.
"Experience alone cannot win matches and one needs regular match practice at a competitive level to hang on during the close situations," said Deplan.
Rebuyas, a BBA student, coaches at the university level to pay his fees. He said: "I played more consistent but my opponent's skills and experience in trying to slow the pace was troubling at times. I am glad to have hit the kind of form to give the Philippines the early 1-0 fixture lead. I am 21 now and hope to perhaps go back to the ITF circuit after my under graduation."
The deciding doubles which went well past 10pm on a cold windy night was a thriller. The experience of coaches Kenneth Cavwenburgh who skipped the singles in the final, and Deplan, subdued the spirited Joseph Serra and Rebuyas.
The Belgians won 4-6, 6-4, 10-4 (super tie-break). The first two sets saw some of the closest fought points in the tourney and in the decider, the guile of the champs especially at the net and in the mid court interceptions proved too much for the Filipinos to handle.
"They gave us anxious moments but the unforced errors from their side in the late stages of the second and third sets gave us more momentum," said Cavwenburgh.
In the ladies final, Russia saw the consistent Angelina Gordienko pulling off fine 7-5, 6-0 win after a first set resistance by the Philippines' Maria Antonia. In the second singles, left hander Maria Cepcion managed a hard fought 7-6 first set victory but succumbed to Katrina's steady baseline shots to lose 0-6, 4-10 (super tie-break).
The prize giving ceremony of the event, backed by Unikai and A.N.L., were presented by Tennis Emirates' (organisers) Sarah Baker and Nasser Marzouki.
moni@khaleejtimes.com