Patrimonio rips Chinese, gains 2nd rd

Anna Christine Patrimonio outplayed fellow qualifier Liu Min of China, 6-4, 6-3, yesterday to save the day for the RP bets in the PLDT-Smart ITF Women’s Circuit at the Rizal Tennis Center.

Patrimonio, daughter of former PBA star Alvin, used a solid baseline game to offset her Chinese rival’s power serves then hung tough in the end to prevail and advance to the next round of the event.

“She’s good and has a very powerful serve,” said Patrimonio, who will turn 17 next month. “But I was more composed while she seemed to have panicked.”

The win, however, set up Patrimonio against fourth seed Yumi Nakano of Japan in the second of action in the weeklong event sponsored by PLDT and Smart. Nakano subdued compatriot Tomoko Taira, 6-1, 6-3.

Patrimonio’s victory came on the heels of losses by Michelle Pang and Jessica Marie Agra, who yielded to their respective taller, stronger opponents.

Pang got the boot from Indonesian seventh pick Ayu-Fani Damayanti, the Week One runner-up, 1-6, 3-6, while Agra bowed to Chinese qualifier Yang Yi, 2-6, 2-6.

Czarina Mae Arevalo and Bambi Zoleta had earlier crashed out of the tournament following losses to No. 8 Li Ting of China, 5-7, 3-6, and Renee Binnie of Australia, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 5-7, respectively, last Tuesday.

No. 5 Lavinio Tananta of Indonesia, who topped the first leg of the two-stage event, bucked a first round loss as she turned back upset-conscious Cassandra Barr of Australia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, to forge an interesting showdown with qualifier Yoo Mi of Korea, who eked out a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2 win over Qui Si Si of China.

No. 2 Lu Jia Jing of China likewise survived an upset bid by compatriot Zhong Yi with a 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory to set up a duel with France’s Elodie Rogge-Dietrich, a qualifier who overcame Thailand’s Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul, 7-5, 6-2.