Japanese ends Patrimonio's ITF dream

Anna Christine Patrimonio blew a 5-3 lead in the first set and struggled the rest of the way as she bowed to Yumi Nakano of Japan, 5-7, 3-6, in the second round of the PLDT-Smart ITF Women’s Circuit at the Rizal Tennis Center.

Patrimonio, who ripped Chinese Liu Min, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round Wednesday, unsettled Nakano with her solid strokes to gain a 5-3 lead. But she failed to keep her form as the fourth seeded Japanese campaigner fought her way back by grabbing the next four games to snatch the first set.

At one point during that stretch and the game tied at 5, Patrimonio blasted an awesome forehand winner to surge ahead, 40-30.

But Nakano refused to give up and battled back to force a deuce four times before finally breaking the RP bet to take a 6-5 lead.

The 20-year-old Nakano, who has been campaigning in the ITF women’s circuit for three years now going 13-11 (win-loss) in singles and 16-11 in doubles events, then held serve in the next game to clinch the set.

Patrimonio took a 2-1 lead in the next frame, breaking Nakano in the second game and holding serve in the next. But she cracked again under pressure and eventually lost the set and the match to Nakano, ranked 694th in the world.

“This is my first time to make it this far. I’m still pressured but I’m still happy with my performance in this tournament,” said Patrimonio.

The win set Nakano up against Indonesian Jessy Rompies, who blasted Marina Novak of Liechtenstein, 6-3, 6-2, in today’s quarterfinal round of the meet backed by PLDT and Smart.     – J. Villar

Top seed Sacha Jones of New Zealand likewise advanced after trouncing Renee Binnie, 6-3, 6-0, to arrange a quarterfinal duel with Circuit One champion and fifth-ranked Lavinia Tananta of Indonesia, a 7-6 (12), 6-2 winner over qualifier Yoo Mi of Korea.

Elodie Rogge-Dietrich of France, meanwhile, posted the day’s upset as she upended second seed Lu Jia Jing of China, 6-3, 6-2.

The Frenchwoman faces Week One runner-up Ayu-Fani Damayanti of Indonesia, who subdued Yi Yang, 6-1, 6-1, in the next round.

No. 8 Li Ting of China defeated Alisa Ogorodova of Uzbekistan, 6-3, 6-2, to set up a quarterfinal clash with Kang Seo Kyung of Korea, who whipped Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand, 6-1, 7-5.