Zoleta, 15, smothers lucky loser in 2 sets

RP bet Bambi Zoleta downed lucky loser Raeda Heyase of Japan, 6-2, 6-1, yesterday to barge into the second round in Week 1 of the Phinma International Juniors Circuit at the Rizal Tennis Center.

Zoleta, 15, had an easy time in disposing of Heyase,who made it to the main draw after world No. 643 Stacey Kyriakopoulos of Australia begged off in the last minute, setting her up against eighth pick Misa Eguchi of Japan, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Malaysia’s Choo Lyn See.

“I hit my shots well, that was the key,” said Zoleta, a high school senior at Mary Hill College in Lucena City, in Filipino.

In the boys’ side, RP bets Pablo Olivarez II blanked qualifier Luca Masiello of Italy, 6-0, 6-0, and Akio Sy nipped countryman Juan Fidel Regis, 6-0, 6-2, to also move ahead.

Top seed Satjaporn Maharoenkul of Thailand likewise made it to the next round after she came back from a set down in repulsing wildcard entry Nivea Bezich of the Philippines, 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Mahajaroenkul, ranked 237th in the world who last made the finals of an ITF Grade 5 tournament in Sri Lanka early this year, had a sluggish start as she dropped the opening set but recovered in time to take the next two sets and seal the win that lasted exactly an hour. – Joey Villar