IT was payback time for Fil-American netter Treat Huey and his Belarusian partner Max Mirnyi.
The 10th seeded pair got back at India’s Leander Paes and Brazilian Andre Sa, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, in the first round of the men’s doubles main draw in the 2016 Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne Park.
Winning chances came to Huey and Mirnyi when they broke serve in their seventh game of their third in their 2 hour and 13 minute long encounter.
They took a 40-0 lead off their volley winners. This allowed Huey and Mirnyi to move ahead with a 4-3 advantage.
A point off a forehand smash and another error in the ensuing set gave Huey and Mirnyi and 40-15 edge which allowed them to take hold of the eighth game for a 5-3 lead.
Huey, who is preparing for his stint with the Philippine Davis Cup team in Manila this February and Mirnyi will now face two Australians, Sam Groth and Chris Guccione in the second round. Groth and Guccione won over Matt Reid and John Patrick Smith, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-4.
The last time they meet two week ago, Paes and Sa ousted top seeds Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi in the ASB Classic in Auckland.
They came away with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals.
This was Paes and Sa’s first victory after joining hands in late 2016, and the second meeting will allow Huey and Mirnyi seek payback very early.
Huey is among two Filipinos, along with the 17-year old Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr., who joined the tournament.
Lim is also set to see action in the junior division.
The world no. 52 Lim just finished practices, and will be there with Huey as they prepare for their coming Davis Cup competition in the first week of February.
His father, Alberto Sr. said AJ is currently practicing at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, and will join Huey in Melbourne once they have resolved visa issues with the Australian embassy.
Lim is expected to be in Melbourne this weekend.