Arevalo rallies versus Korean for semis seat

Filipino wild card Czarina Mae Arevalo kept her title bid alive in the $10,000 Holcim ITF Women’s Circuit with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 quarterfinal victory over No. 7 Korean Kim Hae-Sung yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Down 5-1 in the third set, Arevalo played steadier at the baseline and minimized her errors to wrap up the match in 2 hours, 25 minutes.

"Marami akong errors sa second set, nagmamadali ako para magkapuntos," said the 20-year-old Arevalo after reaching the semifinals for the first time in six years.

Arevalo, who trained for five months in India as part of her preparation for the coming SEA Games, faces world’s No. 826 and fifth seed Taiwanese Chen Yi in today’s semifinal set at 10 a.m.

Chen, ranked No. 7 in Taiwan and a member of the Fed Cup team, got an advanced birthday present when she beat Fil-American Denise Dy, 6-3, 6-2, in the quarterfinals.

"I played good today, my serve is 100 percent," said the 5-foot-9 Chen, who turns 19 today. "It was a tough match. Dy’s serve was difficult to return, she has a good volley."

Dy, who will also play in the SEA Games, was bothered by a sprained left hand which she sustained during the ITF Juniors held last month in Pasig City. Despite the injury, she won the first leg singles title and swept the two-leg doubles titles. "It’s still hurting. I hope it will be okay next week."

Last Sunday, the 16-year-old Dy won the Thailand Open Juniors singles title over Hongkong’s Yang Zi-Jun, 6-1, 6-0. She also won the doubles title with fellow national player Anja Vanessa Peter.

In other matches, world’s No. 695 and top seed Korean Lyoo-Suh Hee-Sun struggled past Israeli qualifier Efrat Zlotikamin, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, to forge a semifinal meeting with Hongkong qualifier Chan Wing-Yau, who scored a 6-3, 6-0 upset win over third seed Briton Rebecca Fong.

In the doubles, top seeds Pichittra Thongdach and Fong defeated American pair Maureen Diaz and Julianna Gates, 6-1, 6-4, to advance in the semifinals of this event supported by Dunlop balls, Manila Pavilion and the Philippine Sports Commission.