Tajima Foils Otico, nears Phinma sweep

MANILA, Philippines - Naoki Tajima recalled his fierce form and dominated John Bryan Otico in the decider, coming away with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory to gain a crack at a sweep of the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Dragged into a third set by the gutsy playing Filipino ace, Tajima went to his serve-and-volley game to baffle and break Otico twice en route to victory that lined the Japanese ace up for a second straight crown after dominating Week 1 of the Grade 4 ITF tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission last week.

But Tajima will be facing an equally talented compatriot in James Kent Trotter, who stunned second seed Yeongseok Jeong, 7-5, 6-3, in the other Final Four encounter in the boys’ side of the tournament backed by Mariposa Foundation, Dunlop Fort All Court Balls and Orchids Garden Suites.

It was a sorry loss for Otico, who kept the Filipinos’ title bid alive after Week 1 champion Khim Iglupas fell to Japanese Ayumi Hirata in the girls’ quarterfinals Friday. The Philippine Tennis Academy mainstay bounced back from a close setback in the opener with a convincing triumph in the second but failed to sustain his charge in the decider as Tajima stepped up his game by attacking the net.

Hirata also stayed on track for a title romp as she routed compatriot Naho Sato, 6-0, 6-1, to arrange a showdown with Satoko Sueno, also of Japan, who turned back Himari Sato, 6-3, 6-3, in the other semis clash.