Lee, Yoo set up all-Korean title duel

MANILA, Philippines - Second seed Lee Ye Ra and fourth pick Yoo Mi fashioned out straight-set victories over their respective semis rivals yesterday to arrange an all-Korean showdown for the $10,000 Holcim/ITF Women’s Circuit Week I crown at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Lee, who advanced to the semis with a 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 5 Liu Shaozhuo of China late Friday, fought back from a three-game deficit in the second set to turn back a tough Juan Ting Fei of Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 7-5, and clinch the first championship berth.

Yoo, who trounced No. 7 Han Sung Hee of Korea in the semifinals, had an easier time against Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand, annexing an emphatic 6-1, 6-3 victory to set up an interesting showdown between two of Korea’s rising stars.

Lee also teamed up with Kim Sun Jung to hammer out a shock 6-0, 6-0 rout over No. 3 He Sirui and Liu Shaozhuo of China last Friday to book the first seat in the finals of the doubles event of the tournament sponsored by Holcim, PLDT/Smart, Phinma and the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund.

On their way to the championship round, the Lee-Kim tandem stunned the second-seed pair of Sophia Mulsap and Natchanok Saenyaukhot of Thailand, 6-3, 6-2.

Lee and Kim will meet the winner of the match between No. 1 Beatrice Gumulya of Indonesia and Han Sung Hee of Korea and another Korean pair Han Na Lae and Yoo Mi for the title.

Han and Yoo were leading, 6-3, when their match was stopped on account of darkness Friday.

Gumulya and Han advanced with an emphatic 6-2, 6-0 win over He Chun Ya of China and Trang Huynh Phuong Dai of Vietnam while Han and Yoo nailed the other berth following a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over No. 4 Ofri Lankri of Israel and Linda Mair of Italy.

The tournament, the first of a four-week meet featuring some of the world’s upcoming juniors players, is organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by Tecnifibre Balls and the Philippine Sports Commission.