Alcantara pounds Croat for 1st quarterfinal berth

Second seed Francis Casey Alcantara smashed eighth pick Vedran Ljubicic of Croatia, 6-2, 6-2, yesterday to remain the lone Filipino player in Week 1 of the Phinma International ITF Junior Circuit at the Rizal Tennis Center.

The 15-year-old Alcantara had a surprisingly easy time against the power-hitting Ljubicic to arrange a quarterfinal duel with the winner between Sean White of Australia and Wee Min-Sylvester of Singapore. “I hope to sustain my good game because I’m hoping to win here,” said Alcantara, a semifinalist in this event last year, in Filipino.

Comely Bambi Zoleta, 15, was not as fortunate as Alcantara as the Lucena City native crashed out with a 5-7, 2-6 setback to No. 8 Misa Eguchi of Japan at resumption of the second round games earlier that was rained out Thursday.

“I committed too many errors,” said Zoleta, a high school senior at Mary Hill College back in his home province.

RP bets Joshua Hansel Ho and Marco Paolo Suntay also bowed to White, 5-7, 1-6, and Russian Artem Ilyushim, 3-6, 5-7, respectively.

Top pick Huang Liang Chi of Chinese Taipei likewise advanced to the round-of-eight after Japanese Masato Shiga retired at 6-3, 1-0. On his way to the quarters, Huang walloped Thai Adirek Khundanpinitwon, 6-4, 6-4.

In other second round matches, Aussie No. 5 James Duckworth downed Hong Kong’s Yam Chun Ming, 6-2, 7-6 (6), to forge a showdown with the big-hitting Ilyushim while Ashling Summer shocked top seed Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul of Thailand, 6-3, 6-2.

Also posting wins were Juan Yu Chu of Chinese Taipei, who humbled No. 3 Mika Morimoto of Japan, 6-3, 7-6 (3), and Cody Morris of Australia, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Kristina Kazimova of Ukraine. – Joey Villar