Eight RP netters advance to next round

MANILA, Philippines - Fifth seed Jurence Mendoza led the charge of local junior netters in the first round of the Tan Ho Cup Asian 14-under tennis series dominated by foreign bets at the Rizal Tennis Center.

Mendoza fashioned out a 6-2, 6-0 victory at the expense of compatriot Joachim Samson but found himself lined up against Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Ju Chang, who routed Eric Olivarez Jr., 6-0, 6-3.

Also making it to the next round were Hans Angelo Asistio, Romnee Kyle Joseph and boys wildcard entries Juan Alfonso Opulencia and Calvin Charles Canlas. Maia Bernadette Balce, Marian Jade Capadocia and Isabelle Orteza also made to the next round of the girls singles.

Asistio outlasted India’s Sayam Raj Sagar, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, to set up a match against sixth seed Ho Ching Lee of Hong Kong, who beat compatriot Robin-Hao Nguy, 6-1, retired.

Joseph edged Ali Abdullareda of Qatar, 6-2, 6-4, but he will next take on Min-Shiuan Lee of Chinese Taipei. Lee topped Indian third seed Aditya Vikram, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Opulencia defeated Rohan Kamdar of Singapore, 6-3, 6-1, to take on Ming-Gang Li of Hong Kong, a 6-4, 6-0 victor over Qatari seventh seed Mahmoudi Abdullah.

Canlas moved up with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 triumph over Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Chen Teng. But he gets a tougher assignment next against second seed Chun-Hun Wong of Hong Kong who demolished Qatar’s Ahmed Rasheed, 6-0, 6-1.

Capadocia stormed to the next round with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Aslina Chua of Malaysia, while Orteza handily defeated compatriot Andriana Marie Villarosa, 6-1, 6-0. Balce had an easy time advancing after fellow Filipina Jenni Dizon didn’t show up.

Boy’s top seed Bhoopindar Singh, encountered some rough sailing going to the second round before subduing Filipino Betto Daniel Orendain, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Singh will test his mettle against Singapore’s Joshua Liu, who booted out Abdullah Zayed, 6-0, 6-1.

Fourth seed Pranav Malhotra also got through with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Qatar’s Ahmed Almohanadi. He will challenge Hong Kong’s Siu Chuen Lam, who beat Filipino Andrew Joshua Cano, 6-2, 6-3.