Dandan, Lazaro join Koreans in 2nd round

Top junior Kyle Dandan pulled off a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 upset win over No. 14 Raymundo Lopez yesterday to reach the men’s singles second round of the P400,000 Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open Tennis Championships at the PCA indoor courts.

The 13-year-old Dandan, who started to compete in the 16-under and 18-under divisions after winning the 14-under title in the Coca-Cola Open in Subic last May, set up a second-round meeting with Roderick Lazaro, who rallied past qualifier Menardo Econg, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Fifth seed Korean Lee Chang Hoon trounced wild card Julius Kraut, 6-2, 6-3, while compatriot Chung Eui Hyun downed Edu Manzano, 6-2, 6-4.

In other matches, seventh seed Jesse Lapore downed Renato Oligo, 6-0, 6-4, to advance against qualifier Garizaldo Caabay, who beat Australian Jimmy Tucker, 6-4, 6-3.

No. 8 Pop Sabandon, No. 10 Cris Cuarto, No. 11 Nino Salvador and No. 13 Luisito Clores also gained second-round slots in this event presented by Dunlop and Accel with support from Coca-Cola, San Miguel Corporation, PBCOM, Photokina, Equitable-PCI, PVL Restaurant-Little Lawrence, Copacobana, Trans Asia Power and The Philippine STAR.

Sabandon, a former RP Davis Cupper, scored a 7-6 (2), 6-1 victory over Allan Alfafara while Cuarto, a member of the RP team coaching staff, defeated Chase Tinio, 6-1, 6-4.

Salvador, the star player of the San Sebastian varsity team, outclassed qualifier Dindo Almeda, 6-2, 6-2 and Clores struggled past Beeyong Sison, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

In the doubles, top seeds Johnny Arcilla and Michael Mora III defeated Elberto Paglalunan, 7-5, 6-1, to lead the first-round winners.

Also advancing were second seeds Jesse Lapore and Rolando Ruel, who beat Conrado Amita and Zack Purugganan, 6-0, 6-2, third seeds Beeyong Sison and Junjun Toledo, who blasted Joseph Arcilla and Jandrick de Castro, 6-0, 6-0, and fourth seeds Joseph Victorino and Alexander Lazaro, who won over Rolly Anasta and Benjie Contado, 6-2, 6-3.