RP netters secure World Junior berth

Fourth seed Philippines banked on the tandem of Kyle Joshua Dandan and Ralph Kevin Barte to beat seventh seed Chinese Taipei, 2-1, yesterday to advance in the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.

Dandan and Barte, who started playing together only last year, saved the day for the Filipinos after posting a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Hsu-Chun Huang and Hsien-Yin Peng in the doubles of the Junior Davis Cup Asia-Oceania qualifying zone before an appreciative crowd at the Manila Polo Club covered courts.

Dandan, who is set to leave for Europe in two weeks time, kept the Philippines’ hope alive when he prevailed over Hsien-Yin Peng, 6-2, 6-3, as Barte, a prized find from Davao City bowed to Hsu-Chun Huang, 1-6, 2-6, in the opening singles.

"I’m very excited and happy with the performance of the boys. I wish them good luck," said Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) and Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) president Col. Salvador Andrada.

Former RP Davis Cupper Raymond Suarez, chairman of the Manila Polo Club tennis committeee, was elated.

"I’m glad that we hosted the event. All the members are supportive."

"We really tried our best to win this for the country," said the 15-year-old Dandan, the only Filipino invited by the International Tennis Federation Under 16 team that will play in Europe starting on May 23.

"The crowd support was great and that inspired us a lot," said the soft-spoken Barte, a veteran of the ITF Junior Circuit.

The Philippines, which swept the elimination round, shoots for a final berth at 10 a.m. today against Australia, the top seed in this week-long event presented by BNP Paribas and supported by Wilson balls and Astoria Plaza Hotel.

Australia, which together with Thailand and Japan also advanced in the World Championship set in September, demolished Sri Lanka, 3-0, with victories coming from Joel Linder over Chavi Talagala, 6-2, 6-2, Stephen Donald over Rukmal Cooray, 6-0, 6-2, and Patrick Nicholls and Donald over Talagala and Cooray, 6-1, 6-1.

Second seed Japan downed sixth seed India, 3-0.

Fumiaki Kita defeated Agnel Gladwin Peter, 6-2, 6-4, Kei Nishkori beat Kinshuk Sharma, 6-1, 6-4, and Kita and Nishkori blasted Navneetha Kannan Baskaran and Sharma, 6-0, 6-0.

Third seed Thailand prevailed over China, 2-0. Kittiphong Wachiramanowong survived Chuan Jiang, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, Peraklat Siriluethaiwattana outplayed Zhou-Qing Zhou, 6-4, 6-3.