Books place in semis: Jeson tames big-serving Aussie

MANILA, Philippines - Jeson Patrombon kept his title drive going as he eked out a semis-clinching 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Australian Nick Kyrgios in the 22nd Mitsubishi Lancer International Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Held to a service duel all throughout, the top-seeded Patrombon outsteadied the 6-foot-2 Kyrgios in the deciding set, pulling off the decisive break that secured the triumph and a Final Four stint.

Next up is Serbian No. 7 Pedja Krstin, who ousted Australian No. 3 Ben Wagland, 6-2, 6-2.

“Maganda yung serve niya (Kyrgios), mahirap i-break, kahit ang first serve niya ay pumapasok. Pero sa bandang huli, nabasa ko na rin yung serve niya (Kyrgios was serving well that he was connecting even on his first serve. But I was able to adjust in the end),” said Patrombon.

The player who scored a break in the one-hour, 55-minute contest went on to win each set, with the Filipino bet pulling it off in the first and Kyrgios returning the favor in the second.

But in the decider, it was world No. 9 Patrombon who had the last say.

Tied at 4-4, Patrombon took care of business, serving the ninth game then forced a serving Kyrgios to three erratic shots in the next to reach match point. He then dropped in a well-placed shot off a net attack to finish off the Aussie to the delight of the local crowd.

“Nakita ko yung opportunity kaya nag-gamble na ako pumasok (I saw an opportunity to score over the net so I took a gamble),” said Patrombon.

The other semis showdown features Australian second seed Andrew Whittington against compatriot No. 4 Luke Saville. Whittington scored a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 (1) win over Belgian Kimmer Coppejans while Saville beat another Aussie, Joey Swaysland, 6-4, 6-0. 

The only other Filipino bet still in contention, Anna Clarice Patrimonio, bowed out of the semis picture in girls’ doubles.

Patrimonio and her Hong Kong partner Katherine Ip fell to fourth-seeded Japanese Nao Hibino and Risa Osaki, 1-6, 2-6.

Completing the girls’ singles semis cast were Romanian 11th seed Elena Teodora Cadar, Serbian No. 4 Jovana Jaksic, Estonian No. 3 Anett Jontaveit and Swedish No. 5 Ellen Allgurin.

Cadar upset Japanese No. 1 Miyu Kato, 7-5, 6-2, while Jaksic tripped Japanese Risa Osaki, 6-3, 6-1, Allgurin edged Kazakh Anna Danilina, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 (3), and Kontaveit defeated Belarusian Allaksandra Sasnovich, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.