Pinoy netters, Lajola crash out

The country’s top netters, led by Kyle Joshua Dandan, and Fil-Am ace Dennis Lajola rammed into superior rivals and absorbed stinging losses as they tumbled out of the 16th Mitsubishi Lancer ITF Juniors tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum yesterday.

Dandan, selected by the ITF in the Asian Juniors Touring Team which will participate in camps and tournaments in Italy and France from May to July, held No. 11 Lai Xiao Peng of Hong Kong to a 3-all tie in the first set before losing steam, 6-3, 6-1.

The 16-year-old Lajola, who repulsed Austrian Kristofer Wachter in the first round, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, likewise dropped a straight-set loss to 14th seed Lee Hsin Han of Chinese Taipei, 6-1, 6-2.

Also crashing out in the boys’ side were Michael Basco, Miguel Narvaez, Nestor Celestino Jr. and Pablo Olivarez II.

Basco bowed to top seed Vivek Shooken of India, 6-1, 6-1; Narvaez lost to 16th seed Jiri Kosler of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-2; Celestino was bundled out by No. 7 Martin Sayer of Hong Kong, 6-0, 6-2; and Olivarez got the boot from 12th seed Tomas Habsuda of Austria, 7-6 (2), 6-1.

Fil-German Anja Vanessa Peter and Michelle Pang followed suit later in the day.

Peter, who will represent the country in the Federation Cup in New Delhi, India next month along with RP No. 1 Czarina Mae Arevalo and Fil-Am Denise Dy, lost in the second set tiebreak of her postponed match with Canadian Chantal Beetham.

Peter rallied from a 2-6 deficit in the tiebreak to take six of the next seven points and lead, 8-7. But she lost the next two points as Beetham advanced into the next round against No. 14 Ellen Berry of New Zealand.

Pang, who downed Ayumi Yoshida of Japan, 6-1, 6-1, Tuesday, rammed into No. 13 Sandhya Nagraj of India and took a 6-0, 6-0 defeat.