Top-seed Hungarian foils Indonesian, reaches semis

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Timea Babos of Hungary continued to hold sway as she slammed eighth pick Grace Ysidora of Indonesia, 6-4, 6-4, yesterday and barged into the semifinals of the 20th Mitsubishi ITF Junior Championships at the Rizal Tennis Center.

The 15-year-old Babos, who is seeking to improve her second place finish in this same event last year, was trailing 3-4 in the second set but rediscovered her form to finish off her Indonesian foe in straight sets.

The win set Babos up against No. 7 Polina Leykina of Russia, who edged qualifier Despina Papamichail of Greece in a marathon 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 decision.

Another Russian, No. 13 Ekaterina Nikitina, likewise made it through after she surprised No. 5 Hannah James of Great Britain, 6-1, 6-3, in one of the biggest triumphs of the rain-delayed round.

Nikitina thus arranged a semis date with a dangerously unseeded Tamara Curovic of Serbia, a 6-3, 6-0 winner over Ksenia Gospodinova also of Russia.

RP bet Francis Casey Alcantara, which crashed out in the singles event Thursday, hopes to continue to carry the Filipino fight in doubles as he partners with Swedish Daniel Berta.

Alcantara, who won a doubles event in the tough Australian Juniors Open last month, and Berta were playing British duo David and Matthew Thomson in the quarterfinals at press time.

A win by Alcantara and Berta, seeded second here, will arrange them a duel with No. 6 Sam Barry of Ireland and Sebastian Lavie of New Zealand, who stunned No. 3 Alessandro Bega and Emanuele Molina of Italy, 7-5, 6-2.

In girls’ doubles action, Mai Grace of Denmark and Sina Haas of Germany were the first to advance to the last four by smashing No. 5 Hong Seung Yeon of Korea and Khunpak Issara of Thailand, 6-4, 6-4.

Grace and Haas would square off with the victor of the match pitting No.6 Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand and Ysidora and No. 2 Beatrice Gumulya of Indonesia and Kanyapat Narattana of Thailand.