Samson, Salas triumph, keep Phinma tennis hopes alive

MANILA, Philippines - Joachim Samson and Vince Russell Salas came away with contrasting victories to advance to the second round of the Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Qualifiers at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Samson flexed just enough muscle to oust Singapore’s Gritharan Devendiran, 6-1, 6-1, but is expected to have his hands full against Lin Wei-de, the top seeded bet from Taiwan in the two-day elims among 32 aspirants slugging it out for four seats in the main draw of the Grade 4 tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies.

Salas battled back from a set down before dominating Taiwanese Yun Ruei Wen in the next two, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, to set a duel with No. 2 Bryan Husin of Indonesia.

Others who stayed in the hunt for berths in the tournament proper were Korean Sanghoon Park, American Jack Pulliam, Taiwan’s Chien Chief Hung, Kuan Yun Chen, Chei Yin Li and Cheng Chieh Wang and Japan’s Shohei Chikami.

Marcen Angelo Gonzales also warmed up for a 6-0, 6-0 romp over Taiwan’s Han Chun Chi but faces a tough second round rival in No. 6 Alvin Edison of Indonesia.

The event is sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Dunlop Fort All Court Balls, Wilkins and Viva Mineral Water.