Alcantara aims to climb world tennis doubles rankings

MANILA, Philippines — Top Filipino doubles player Francis Casey Alcantara has embarked on a mission to improve his world rankings with several major international tournaments lined up in the next two months.

The 32-year-old Alcantara’s sojourn was launched via the ATP Challenger 75 in Bangkok, Thailand that has already started and will end next week.

From there, Alcantara will stay in the Thai capital for another week in another ATP Challenger 75 event before hopping to ATP Challenger 100 meets in Chennai, Bahrain or New Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru next month.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s Jean Henri Lhuillier, who is bankrolling the campaign, wished Alcantara good luck.

“It’s thrilling to see Nino (Alcantara) competing at such a high level,” said Lhuillier. “His dedication and hard work have been exemplary, and I’m confident that all his preparations will bear fruit. We’re fully behind him as he brings pride to Philippine tennis.”

Already, Alcantara, a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and an Asian Games bronze winner in doubles, has already secured a whopping 25 ITF Futures Tour double titles, including three last year and is currently ranked No. 227 in ATP doubles.

And he is hoping for more titles and to climb higher in the ladder this year.