AJ Lim and the Philippine men’s national tennis team secured their place in next year’s Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III after achieving a 2-0 sweep against Kyrgyzstan in the 2025 Group IV regional promotional playoffs on Saturday at the National Tennis Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This marks the second consecutive season that the team has risen to a higher level, following the Philippine Tennis Association’s suspension from international competitions.
Last year, they earned promotion from Group V after a 2-1 victory over the Northern Mariana Islands, where Lim recorded the team’s only loss in that playoff.
Lim was determined to succeed this time, defeating Ilgiz Kamchibekov with a score of 6-3, 6-3, thereby propelling the Philippines back into Group III for the first time since 2006.
With notable players like Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey leading the charge, the Philippines has steadily climbed the rankings, moving into Group I within just two years.
Although the team was relegated the following year, they maintained a presence in Group II for seven years until 2019, when the format changed in the following season.
The Philippines made a historic return to World Group contention in 2020-2021, facing Greece in the playoffs, which included former world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Jed Olivarez, who represented the UAAP Season 85 runners-up Ateneo de Manila University, kicked off the day with a decisive 6-1, 6-3 win over Kiriil Kistanov in the other singles match.
The Philippine squad also includes Francis Alcantara, Ruben Gonzales, and Arthur Craig Pantino.
