Chinese boots out last RP bet

Chinese qualifier Liu Chang bundled out the last Filipino hopeful in Week One of the Holcim ITF Women’s Circuit as she dominated Jessica-Marie Agra, 6-1, 6-2, yesterday at the Rizal Tennis Center.

Agra, who just turned 17, yielded to Liu’s power game as she joined the other ousted RP bets Bambi Zoleta, Michelle Pang, Regina Santiago and Anna Clarice Patrimonio.

“She (Liu) had more power on her shots,” said Agra.

Zoleta and Pang were booted out Tuesday while Santiago and the 15-year-old Patrimonio failed to get it past the qualifiers.

The RP netters, however, hope to perform better in the second leg of this Holcim-bankrolled event next week.

Top seed Sacha Jones of New Zealand, one of the four wild card entries after failing to register on time, breezed past Liechtenstein’s Marina Novak, 6-2, 6-1, to lead the march of the favorites into the second round.

Indonesia’s fourth pick Lavinia Tananta, No. 8 Jessy Rompies and No. 5 A Damayanti downed Chan Hao Ching of Chinese Taipei, 6-3, 6-2, Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul of Thailand, 6-3, 7-5, and Liu Chi Fan of Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 6-4, respectively.

Korean Jeon Yoon Young, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Italian G D’Ortona, and Uzbek Alisa Ogordova, who edged Taiwanese Chen Mu Ying, 7-6 (6), 6-0, also made it through.   – Joey Villar