Fil-Am bet doubtful starter today?

Riza Zalameda, one of the Fil-foreign players who will represent the country in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games late this month, debuts today against Korean Seo Soon-Mi in the first round’s second installment of the Holcim ITF Women’s Circuit 1 at the Rizal Tennis Center.

But Zalameda, 19, might not make it into today’s game set at 2:30 p.m. at center court reportedly because of dehydration from a recent trip to Subic Bay.

"She’s a little bit sick from a trip to Subic, there’s a chance she might miss her game tomorrow (today) probably from dehydration," newly-elected Philippine Tennis Association president Manuel Misa said yesterday.

Zalameda, who was accompanied by her father Rolly and younger sister Marie here, is seeded sixth in this week-long meet because of her 860 ranking in the ITF.

She is to join Fil-German Anja Vanessa Peter, Fil-Am Denise Dy and top local bet Czarina Mae Arevalo in the RP team with hopes of giving the country its first SEAG gold medal since Maricris Fernandez copped one in the singles event in the 1999 Brunei Games.

Also debuting today are Peter, who takes on countryman Noelle Zoleta at 10:30 a.m. on Court 1, Dy, who clashes with Lee Jin A of Korea at 11:30 a.m. on Center Court and Arevalo, who faces Pichittra Thongdach of SEAG rival Thailand at 1 p.m. also at Center Court.

Filipino wildcard entry Aileen Rogan tackles No. 3 Rebecca Fong of Great Britain.

Meanwhile, Melissa Orteza, 17, was the first RP bet to barge into the second round by trouncing countryman Michelle Pang, 6-1, 6-2, while Trudy Amoranto fell to Korean Lim Sae Mi, 4-6, 2-6.

The pair of Arevalo and Dy also fell by the wayside in the doubles event, losing to Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yi and Kao Shao Yuan, 3-6, 1-6, late in the afternoon.

Another RP duo, Noelle Zoleta and Zalameda’s younger sister Marie, exited early following a 0-6, 0-6 setback to top seed Rebecca Fong of Great Britain and Pichittra Thongdach of Thailand.

Kao Shao Yuan of Chinese Taipei, No. 7 Kim Hae Sung of Korea, Maureen Diaz of the US and Zhang Ling of Hong Kong also made the singles’ second round.