ICTSI/ITF Circuit gets under way

MANILA, Philippines - The qualifying stage for the ICTSI/ITF Women’s Circuit Week starts today with six Filipino netters hoping to get into the main draw of the tournament set Nov. 2-7 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Vito Cruz, Manila.

Among the Pinay players vying in the qualification stage are Anne Christine Patrimonio, Marian Jade Capadocia, Steffi Rei Varias, Aileen Rogan, Marinel Rudas and Maika Jae Tanpoco.

The event, organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and presented by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), is also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Slazenger, the official ball, Chris Sports, Viva Mineral Water, Powerade, Coca-Cola and Century Park Hotel.

Eighteen players, led by Gally de Wael of Belgium, Pia Suomalainen of Finland and Elodie Rogge-Dietrich of France, are already assured of spots in the main draw.

De Wael, ranked 510th in the world, is the highest-rated player in the main draw.

Other players seeded in the main draw are Nungnadda Wannasuk, Varatchaya Wongteanchai, Nicha Lertpitaksinchai and Peangthan Pliphuech of Thailand, Rushmi Chakravarthi of Indonesia, Hae-Sung Kim, Na-Lee Han and Ji-Young Kim of Korea, Lin Zhu and Chun-Yan He of China, Ivana King and Chanelle Van Nguyen of the United States, Ofri Lankri of Israel, Tomoko Dokei of Japan and Katharina Negrin of Austria.

All players are vying for ranking points of this event sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

After the ICTSI/ITF Women’s Circuit Week 1, the second phase of the tournament starts immediately Nov. 7-14 also at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Entries should be published in their respective print publications with a minimum size of 3 columns by 7 centimeters.

Photographers should attach their respective photo clippings at the back of their respective entries. All entries should have the photographers’ name, contact number, publication, sport’s editor’s name and date when it was published.

All entries should be submitted at the PHILTA office on or before Nov. 30, 2010.

A first prize of P10,000 plus cellphone will be given each to the winning photographer and editor. A P5,000 plus cellphone will be given to the second placer (photographer and editor) while the third placer (photographer and editor) will get P3,000 plus Smart jacket.

November will be a busy month in tennis as many other prestigious competitions of different categories will be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Aside from the ICTSI/ITF Circuit Week 1 and 2, the Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships also take center stage for the next two weeks.

Week 1 of action starts Nov. 21-28, while the second week of hostilities begin Nov. 28-Dec. 5.