Iglupas stops Miyamoto, storms to Phinma finals

MANILA, Philippines - Khim Iglupas got back at Japanese Ayumi Miyamoto and carved out a 7-5, 6-3 victory to move a win closer to  the girls’ crown in Week 1 of the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 at the Manila Polo Club in Makati yesterday.

The 17-year-old Filipina ace outlasted Miyamoto in a back-and-forth duel in the opening frame with her superb baseline game then dominated her rival with her vast repertoire of shots in the next to complete the straight-set victory in the featured semifinal duel in the Grade 4 ITF tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Chinese Wang Xin Yu, meanwhile, kept the momentum of her sizzling run since she toppled second seed Naho Sato, 6-4, 7-5, in the first round, whipping No. 4 Satoko Sueno, also of Japan, 6-0, 6-1, to set up a title clash with the top Philippine Tennis Academy bet in today’s finals of the first of two-week circuit backed by Mariposa Foundation, Palm Rock Residences and Dunlop Sport, also the tournament’s distributor of official balls.