Damian stuns No. 8 Thai in Phinma netfest

MANILA, Philippines – Noel Damian and Vince Salas sustained their strong showing in the two-day qualifier, turning back their Thai rivals in contrasting fashions to move into the second round of the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City yesterday.

Damian, who upended Justin Suarez, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, to clinch one of the four slots staked in the elims Monday, pulled off another three-setter, this time, easing out No. 8 Thai Suphawit Sae-Oui, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, to advance against Alester Magalit of Hong Kong, who trounced local bet Francis Atienza, 6-0, 6-1.

Salas, who upended Japanese Yusuke Nishitani, 7-6(1), 6-1, in the final day of elims, dominated Sirawit Daosaengwang, 6-3, 6-0, for a second round clash with Taiwan’s Ho Jun Lee, who scored a 3-6, 6-3, 3-3(ret.) win over No. 5 Shaheed Alam of Singapore.

The International Tennis Federation is staking 40 points to the winners in the boys’ and girls’ sides of the Grade 4 tournament backed by major sponsors Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The doubles champions of the event, backed by Mariposa Foundation, Palm Rock Residencs and Dunlop Sport, also the tournament’s distributor of official balls, will earn 30 points.

In other first round results, Malaysian Christian Chin rebounded from a first-set setback and topped local bet Dave Mosqueda, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Japanese Hikaru Shiraishi outplayed Justine Prulla, 6-1, 6-1; while Vietnamese Phuong Van Nguyen held off Jerome Romualdez, 6-3, 6-3; Japan’s Naoki Tajima thwarted Taiwanese Yu Feng Chen, 6-4, 6-1; and Thai Kittirat Kerdlaphee bundled out Korean Keonho Shin, 6-2, 6-4.

The Filipino bets playing at presstime with John Otico clashing with Japan’s Tsubasa Kato; Cenon Gonzales Jr. tangling with No. 6 J. Trotter of Japan; Dalisay Garcia squaring off with Singapore’s D. Devendiran; and Michael Eala facing off with second seed Y. Jeong of Korea.

Meanwhile, the PSC-Phinma IJTC Week 2, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez with Wannait Srirasa of Thailand as ITF supervisor and Loida Mallare as tournament director, will be held Nov. 24-29.