Last of Pinays fail to gain

Like their compatriots before them, Natalie Banday and Ziarla Diana Battad lost to top-class opposition, leaving no Filipino bet after the second round of the 11th Mitsubishi Lancer International Juniors Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Courts yesterday.

Banday, the Australian-born Filipina netter who will turn 18 this June, failed to sustain the momentum of her stunning first round win over sixth seed Angela Piedrahita of the US as she dropped a 3-6, 0-6 loss to Jane O'Donoghue.

"I was playing good early in the first set but she just outplayed me later in that set," said Banday. "In the second set, I just couldn't handle the pressure. Tumirik na lang ako."

The 16-year-old Battad, a fourth year Central Luzon State University student, also took a 1-6, 1-6 setback at the hands of Prariyayan Ratanakrong of Thailand, who bundled out fourth seed Hong Dam Dung of Korea, 6-3, 6-3, in the opening round Tuesday.

Four unfancied bets, however, pulled out big reversals with 15-year-old Angelique Widjaja of Indonesia shocking second seed and world No. 66 Caroline Tidemand of Norway, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Widjaja, who recently won a Group III event to move up to No. 3 in the juniors national ranking back home, dropped the first set tiebreak but pounced on Tidemand's erratic serves to take the next two sets and the match that lasted one hour and 53 minutes.

"She committed a lot of mistakes in the second and third sets so I capitalized on them," said Widjaja.

Also getting the upset ax were eight-ranked Pichaya Laosirichon of Thailand, who bowed to Asha Burns of Australia, 4-6, 2-4 (Retired); No. 3 Rita Tarjan of Germany, who lost to Alex Magsedwin of the US, 3-6, 4-6; and seventh seed Nida Waseem of Pakistan, who was ousted by Wilawan Choptang, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 1-6.

Others advancing were Dea Sumantri of Indonesia, who survived Melissa Berry of Great Britain, 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory, and Nicole Kris of Australia, who won over Elena Baltacha of Great Britain, 6-3, 6-0.

In the men's side, top seed Wang Yeu-Tzuo of Taiwan continued to brandish his fiery form as he scuttled doubles partner Prakash Amritaj of the US, 6-1, 6-3. Others who advanced were Sebastian Linda and Simon Stadler of Germany, and Peter Richman of Canada. - Joey Villar