3 Pinoy netters hurdle 1st rd rivals in Phinma jrs

MANILA, Philippines - Maia Bernadette Balce, Kim Iglupas, and wild card John Bryan De Casa carried the fight for the Philippines as they hurdled their respective foes at the start of the Phinma International Juniors Week 2 tennis tournament yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Balce trounced Japanese qualifier Sakura Yonehara, 7-5, 6-2, while Iglupas outclassed another Japan bet in Saya Usui, 6-1, 6-3, to strike for Phl, which suffered losses in other first round matches in girls’ singles play.

Katrina Orteza bowed to Japanese Kimita Sakata, 0-6, 4-6; wild card Isabella Mendoza fell to Thai Jaipet Anontaweesil, 1-6, 3-6; wild card Maria Angela Sunga yielded to Japanese fifth seed Saya Ito, 2-6, 2-6; and wild card Andrea Nicole Amistad lost to Japanese Haruna Arakawa, 1-6, 1-6, to crash out early.

De Casa scored in the boys’ singles, outlasting Taiwanese Ching Hao Miao in a pulsating 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 come-from-behind win.

Fellow wild card Stefan Agustin Suarez failed to pull off a similar upset in the event put up by Phinma Group of Companies and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with the Philippine Sports Commission, Dunlop Fort All Court Balls, Wilkins and Viva Mineral Waters as chief backers.

Suarez blew a one-set headstart and suffered a 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 setback to British eighth seed Charlie Ridout.

Also through to the second round were Thai Vorachon Rakpuangchon, who posted a  6-1, 6-4 victory over Taiwanese Bo Yui Huang; and Japan netters Naoto Kai and Yousuke Watanuki, who whipped a pair of Indonesians Bryan Husin, 6-1, 6-1, and Christian Alvin Edison, 6-2, 6-4, respectively.

Advancing as well in girls singles were Japanese Izumi Asano, 6-2, 6-0 winner over Taiwanese Chi Chen; Indonesian Rifanti Kahfiani, 6-4, 6-4 victor over Japanese Momoka Yoshida; and Australian Melissa Esguerra, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 conqueror of Japanese Utaka Kshigami.