Pantino reaches Phinma tennis quarterfinal

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino top bet Arthur Craig Pantino crushed Chinese Taipei’s Chen Kuan-yu, 6-0, 6-4, Thursday to barge into the quarterfinals of the boys singles of the Phinma-PSC International Juniors tennis championships at Manila Polo Club clay courts.

Pantino, who won boys singles in Week 2 of this tournament last year, will gun for a semifinal seat on Friday against either fellow Filipino Aljon Talatayod or eighth seed Corban Crowther of New Zealand who were still locked in battle.

The 17-year-old Pantino also swept the boys’ doubles last year pairing with Miko Eala and John Bryan Otico in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively, making him one of the tourney’s top bet.

Another local hopeful advanced after Alex Eala sustained her grit and form, turning back Japanese Erika Matsuda, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to make the girls singles quarterfinals.

The 13-year-old wonder became the only remaining Filipina campaigner after compatriot Amanda Gabrielle Zoleta dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision to top seed Janice Tjen of Indonesia earlier.

Seeded eighth, Eala will next take on Chinese Taipei qualifier Li Yu-yun who trounced Samantha Nanere of Indonesia, 6-3, 6-1, in the meet sponsored by the Philippine Tennis Association, Philippine Sports Commission, Phinma and Tecnofibre.

Girls No. 2 ranked Saki Oyama of Japan clobbered Tsai Yun-chin of Chinese Taipei, 6-1, 6-1, to move to the quarterfinals against sixth seed Taiwanese Fang Wei-ning, a 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 victor over Australia’s Jessica Jade Haylo.