Rain delays keep Hong Kong in the Davis Cup - for now
WITH rain scudding across the courts it was stop-start all the way, but the day ended with Hong Kong staring defeat in the doubles and on the verge of handing Thailand an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group II tie at Victoria Park.
The territory changed their doubles combination by bringing in Mark Ferreira and Graeme Foster, but it did little to bring success as brothers Narathorn and Thanakorn Srichaphan were in commanding form to take a 6-1, 1-0 lead before yesterday's play was finally suspended.
The match will resume at noon today with Hong Kong facing a huge task to turn the match and the tie around.
Thailand, by contrast, are on the verge of booking a berth in the second round of this group.
Both teams had to wait a frustrating four hours before play started yesterday. It was halted twice more, before match officials decided enough was enough.
'They [the Hong Kong team] have got all night to sleep on it,' said Hong Kong Tennis Association executive Janet Hardisty, who was in the forefront of valiant attempts - leading the ball boys and ball girl - in drying the court.
The rain, however, played cruel tricks with them all evening.
'We dried the courts five times before we called play off,' said a tired Hardisty last night.
Hong Kong were forced to make a change in their doubles combination after one of the designated players, Melvin Tong Man-chung pulled out with a thigh injury.
Tong aggravated a pulled muscle during a marathon five-set loss to Vittaya Samrej in the second singles on the opening day on Friday.
He and Wayne Wong were due to carry the territory's challenge in the doubles.
But trailing 0-2, Hong Kong have put out their best combination in the hope of keeping the tie alive into the reverse singles which will be played after the doubles finish today.
The Hong Kong team had not decided last night if Tong would play in the reverse singles or not.
If the Thais wrap up the tie, the reverse singles will be played as a best-of-three sets affair.
