FIL-AM  TENNIS  STAR:  SECOND  WIND  FOR  TENNIS

MANILA, MARCH 28, 2007 (STAR) By Joaquin Henson People Asia Magazine - Cecil Mamiit never thought playing for the Philippines would be such a thrill and now that he's wearing the national colors after an eight-year delay, the Fil-Am tennis star is enjoying a resurgence in his career at the ripe age of 30.

It was in 1998 when Mamiit made his Manila debut, teaming with another Fil-Am Eric Taino to capture the doubles title in an ITF (International Tennis Federation) satellite tournament.

The Philippine Lawn Tennis Association (Philta) desperately tried to convince Mamiit to play for the country but his agent Benjy Robins wanted a three-year, $225,000 deal, a bonus scheme and expenses. Negotiations broke down when Mamiit's stock rose sharply in world tennis. His ranking went up to No. 72 in 1999 and Robins' asking price went beyond what the Philippine Sports Commission could afford.

But deep in Mamiit's heart was a desire to play for the Philippines. He knew someday, somehow, sooner or later, the time would come for him to wave the flag proudly.

As the years went by, Mamiit plied his trade in courts all over the world. He gained a reputation as a giant killer, beating the likes of Andre Agassi, Michael Chang (twice), Mark Woodforde, and Todd Martin.

Mamiit was a crowd darling with a never-say-die attitude, fighting the odds and scrambling for every point. At the 2001 French Open, he lost to Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the second round, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) but he captivated the fans. Three years later, Mamiit won the hearts of the hostile fans by engaging hometown hero Lleyton Hewitt in a dogfight at the Australian Open.

Mamiit is the only Filipino in history to qualify for all four Grand Slam main draws and he's in the record books as one of only four freshmen to win the US NCAA singles title. The others were legends Billy Martin, John McEnroe, and Jimmy Connors. At the University of Southern California, Mamiit racked up an amazing record of 44 wins in 50 matches.

With US sponsors turning to the younger guns of the sport, Mamiit was unable to sustain his lofty world ranking and missed out on major tournaments due to limited resources. His ranking fell to No. 226 in 2004 before improving to No. 211 the next year.

Then it dawned on Mamiit that the time had come to give back to the Philippines where his parents Cesar and Lisa were born.

Mamiit accepted Philta's offer to play in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila in 2005 and finally, got a taste of national pride. He was a double gold medalist, clinching the singles crown and powering the men's team to first place.

Mamiit went on to lead the Philippines to 3-0 shutouts over Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Iran in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group III competitions and took a pair of bronze medals at the Doha Asian Games last year.

A month ago, Mamiit was back in Manila to anchor the country's 4-1 victory over Pakistan in a Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group II first round tie. Mamiit whipped Jalil Khan, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1, and Aqeel Khan, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, to sweep his individual assignments and raise his unbeaten Davis Cup singles record to 7-0. He also combined with Taino to trounce Aqeel Khan and Asim Shafik, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, in doubles play. In all, Mamiit has won nine straight singles and doubles Davis Cup matches.

"I regret not playing for the Philippines earlier," said Mamiit, an only child. "I think the movement of tennis would've been faster in the Philippines if I was known more as a Filipino than an American when I beat Agassi and Chang. But it's not too late. Playing for the country gives me reason to stay on tour. It's a great thing and it's prolonging my career like a second wave. It makes me feel young and energetic. It's rejuvenated my game."

Mamiit admitted that by US standards, a tennis pro is "old" before turning 30 with Agassi, who retired at 36, an exception.

"I once asked Agassi the secret of his longevity," related Mamiit. "He told me the key is pacing yourself. There are so many playing opportunities in the US that you could play all year round. Agassi advised me to rest for about a week in between tournaments so I don’t burn out. Look at Chang who was in the top five for nine years. He had a short career because his body just wore down. I predict (Rafael) Nadal to also burn out soon with all the energy he expends every game. The body needs to settle down and you can't just play all the tournaments all the time."

Mamiit said it's a blessing to experience a rebirth in his game at this stage in his career. "There's a lot of personal pride in playing for your country and that's my driving force," said Mamiit. "When I won my first gold medal at the SEA Games, it was such a relief and made winning a second gold medal much easier. That was very special for me because the crowd was so involved. Playing Davis Cup is a career highlight, like McEnroe used to say. It's prestigious and the world's best players represent their countries. The Asian Games is like the Olympics with world-class competition. It feels good to know that the Philippines is once more a contender for medals in Asia. We're not a small fish in the pond anymore."

Five years from now, Mamiit said he envisions himself paving the way for young Filipino players to excel on the international stage.

"I'd like to still be playing," said Mamiit. "It's not the age that matters. If I can still win and improve, I'll keep on playing. Who knows what I would've achieved in the next five years? Last year, I won five doubles titles and I qualified for Wimbledon. I was back in the top 200. My immediate goal is to reenter the top 100. My dream is to play for the Philippines at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I'd like to work towards peaking at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou."

Mamiit said a top 150 ranking will qualify for a slot in the Olympics but his aim is not just to make the maximum cutoff.

"I want my game back," said Mamiit. "I was in the top 100 for five years. I know I can do it again. I'd like to push my ranking up this year and get Filipinos around the world to follow me on tour. It's not for me. It's to spark more interest in tennis among Filipinos. I know what it takes to prepare for the big push. Before the recent Davis Cup, I practiced with Andy Roddick and James Blake, realizing I needed hard training to prepare my body for the best-of-5 matches. I'm ready to sacrifice to open more opportunities for tennis to grow in the Philippines."

Although he was born in the US, Mamiit is as Filipino as adobo. His father Cesar, 59, is a retired computer technician from Alaminos, Laguna and mother Lisa, 63, is a nurse from Sariaya, Quezon. They migrated to the US separately in the 1970s and met in Los Angeles.

Throughout his career, Mamiit said his father has been a guiding light.

"I listen to my father, whom I consider my coach forever," said Mamiit. "I've had lots of coaches but my father takes the best out of all that they’ve taught me and gets me going. Playing is all about confidence. I listen to my coaches' suggestions. I don't rely on them completely. I take in what my father and I consider to be the best advice."

Mamiit's all-time tennis idols are Agassi and Chang. And among today's stars, he singled out Roger Federer as the undisputed No. 1.

"I think Federer's a freak," he said. "He's so good he didn't lose a set in the last Australian Open. It's incredible how he has taken the game to another level. His game hasn't slowed down a bit. He's just so dominant on the court."

Mamiit, a bachelor, said he's not in a hurry to get hitched.

"Sure, I date but there's no time to make any sort of commitment at the moment because I'm always on tour and it's just not fair for anyone to enter into a relationship with me," said Mamiit.

SEA Games tennis coordinator Randy Villanueva said it's a sacrifice for Mamiit to play for the country but the Fil-Am doesn't mind.

"Cecil is foregoing about $40,000 in support from US sponsors a year by playing for the Philippines," said Villanueva. "With his world ranking, he could qualify as a wildcard in the US Open and get a guarantee of $45,000. But that's all beyond him now. What's driving him is playing for the country."

Mamiit said on the court, he tries not only to outplay but also outsmart his opponents.

"I don't have a big serve," he said. "My serves are well-placed and I make it a point to get a high percentage of my first serves in. I set up my points and try to play aggressive from the baseline. Like Hewitt, I'm a scrambler. I'm willing to come to the net. My game is about taking time away from my opponents. I open up the court. I like a running game where I wear out the other guy."

Asked how he got his nickname "Diesel," Mamiit said Filipino player Bong Battad suggested the moniker during a Hong Kong tournament some years back.

"Bong noticed I usually start slow but end up fast, like a diesel engine," said Mamiit. "In my match against Agassi, I lost the first set 6-0 but came back to force a tiebreaker which I led, 4-0, when he got mad at himself, said a few words the tournament referee didn't approve of and was defaulted out of the tournament. Against Chang, I was down 5-0, won three straight games then lost 6-3 in the first set. I came back to win the next two sets, 6-3, 6-3. It's all about the ending, not the beginning, and winning the last point."

Mamiit said the future is wide open for Philippine tennis. His Davis Cup teammates P J. Tierro, 21, and Johnny Arcilla, 26, are on the verge of breaking out, he noted.

"They've got talent," said Mamiit. "Right now, they're like sponges, absorbing anything and everything they can. To improve, they’ve got to take tennis seriously, like profession, not like a recreational or social sport. I used to be a park player when I was a kid but my father pushed me to take lessons so I could play competitively. In the Philippines, tennis is more a social game. We just need to take it to a professional level."

Mamiit said he was lucky that growing up, he caught Boris Becker's eye at the Nick Bolliteri tennis academy in Florida. The German Wimbledon champion made Mamiit his practice player and took him thrice to Munich for "sparring" sessions. It helped that Becker employed a Filipina nanny for his children.

For about a year, Mamiit polished his act as Becker's exclusive hitting partner. He also honed his skills as a practice player for Monica Seles, Mary Pierce and Chang.

Now, Mamiit is to Tierro what Becker was to him. Last year, Mamiit hosted Tierro in Los Angeles for a month.

"It was a learning experience for P. J.," said Mamiit. "At first, P J. struggled but by the third and fourth week, he was coming into his own. He joined a tournament in L.A. and lost a close quarterfinal match to Brian Wilson, who later qualified for the Australian Open. It was a boost to his confidence. I think P. J. could've beaten Brian – which means he could've qualified for the Australian Open, too."

Mamiit said there's no substitute for exposure to improve one's game.

"I played in 30 tournaments last year and P J., only seven," he said. "I realize it takes money to play on tour but the key is, a program must be in place. There are lots of Fil-Ams now inquiring about playing for the Philippines after reading about my experiences. But I think we've got outstanding prospects at home right now like Kyle Dandan who took the Philippines to the World Group of the 16-and-under Davis Cup two years ago. For Kyle to play to his potential, he's got to campaign overseas, go cross-country in the US and learn from playing tough opponents. He won't be able to do it playing one to three tournaments a year."

Mamiit said the Philippines is not far off from upstaging traditional Asian tennis powers.

"The opportunities are there for us to take advantage of," said Mamiit. "We’re lucky that more and more major tournaments are being played in Asia. Federer himself wants to play in more Asian tournaments. So we don’t have to go too far to get quality competition.

With Mammit leading the charge, the Philippines has found a beacon to light the way for a long overdue reawakening in tennis.