Former tennis chief Buddy Andrada dies

MANILA, Philippines – Salvador Andrada, the gregarious former Army colonel who made the Philippine tennis team competitive in the Davis Cup, died on Wednesday, April 8, due to a lingering illness. He was 83.

Nicknamed ‘Buddy’ for his friendly demeanor, the former mustachioed, stocky Andrada took over the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) in 1986, replacing then Parañaque Mayor Pablo Olivarez.

A good doubles player, often partnered with Manny Misa who remains active in the tennis association, Andrada’s passion for tennis put a sense of urgency into the sport at a time when international results, especially Davis Cup, had fallen off.

Thanks to his achievements, Andrada was elected president of the Asian Tennis Federation from 2000 to 2002.

Loida Amos-Mallare, the former executive secretary of Philta under Andrada’s reign which ended in 2005, said the longtime tennis chief had been ill. 

“He had been having 3 times a week dialysis sessions,” said Amos-Mallare.

Andrada will be cremated Wednesday, 7 pm, at Arlington Chapels in Quezon City.

In 1988, under Andrada’s leadership, the Philippines upset Japan 3-2, in the Davis Cup Eastern Zone at the Philippine Columbian Association.

It marked the first time in years Filipino netters defeated their foes, thanks to a victory by Raymond Suarez over Toshisa Tsushihashi in the 5th and deciding singles match.

Three years later, the Philippines met Sweden in a World Cup group playoff at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

It was the farthest Filipino netters have done in Davis Cup play since the 1950s but the Philippines were swept by their rivals.

Backing up the cornerstones of the Davis Cup team, then led by Felix Barrientos, Roland So, Suarez and Rod Rafael, was the yearly Andrada Cup for juniors and the annual Mitsubishi International Tennis  Federation Juniors which began in 1991 and lasted for 25 years.

The Andrada Cup lasted for 30 years until 2019, which was also the time Andrada retired from tennis involvement.

Andrada became a commissioner at the Philippine Sports Commission a few years after he stepped down from as tennis head. In the 2007 SEA Games in Cambodia, he fell ill but recovered. – Rappler.com