Patrombon makes 32-man group at Olivares Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Former World Junior standout Jeson Patrombon turned back higher-ranked Andrew Ochotta of Canada, 6-1, 6-3, to make it into the main draw of the Olivarez Cup-Philippine International Men's Tennis Championship at the Rizal Tennis Center Monday.

Patrombon, a former quarterfinalist in the Australian Open juniors three years back who will turn 21 on Thursday, needed to beat Ochotta, seeded second in the qualifiers being ranked 2177th in the world, fast before rains fell and forcing organizers to order a rain out of the remaining two matches.

The win sent Patrombon in the main 32-man group along with countrymen Johnny Arcilla, Elbert Anasta, PJ Tierro and Marc Reyes, who made it there as wild cards.

Yang Shao Chi of Chinese Taipei, the qualifying round's top seed who drew a bye Sunday, slammed Tim Dong of the United States, 6-4, 6-3, to also make it in the main draw starting tomorrow.

"My objective here is to play solid and perhaps get a good result," said Patrombon.

Patrombon was coming off a come-from-behind 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory over another former juniors standout Kyle Dandan Sunday to make it this far.

Patrombon made it as high as No. 9 in the world juniors ranking two years ago but had fallen off a cliff after a fallout with long-time coach and trainer Manny Tecson.

"I'm hoping to get my confidence back," said Patrombon, who has trained hard for three weeks in Taiwan.

Matches that were rained out yesterday were the ones between Canadian Kelsey Stevenson and Filipino Jerome Romualdez and American Brian Tran versus another local bet Tomas Francisco Puno.

It will be played out today along with matches pitting the Phl's Jurence Mendoza against Li Hei Yin Andrew  of Hong Kong, Nguyen Hoang Thien versus Filipino Leander Lazaro, the Phl's Eric Olivarez, Jr. against countryman Calvin Charles Canlas, and Ahmed Deedat Andul Razak of Malaysia versus Arief Rahman of Indonesia.

Mendoza advanced late Sunday after edging Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2: Olivarez bashed Jenner Stevenson of Canada, 6-2, 6-2; Puno waylaid Medhir Goyal of Indonesia, 6-4, 6-3, and Romualdez trounced Teddy Jan Bong of Indonesia, 6-1, 6-3.

This weeklong tournament, which is sanctioned by the Phl Tennis Association and backed by its president Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, is an International Tennis Federation Futures staking a total pot worth $15,000.

ABS-CBN will beam the action starting tomorrow with Treat Huey sitting as one of the commentators. Dunlop balls are in use in the tourney.