Alcantara enters tennis final

Second seed Francis Casey Alcantara of the Philippines continued to show awesome form as he downed Sean White of Australia, 6-4, 6-3, yesterday to barge into the finals of the 2007 Phinma International ITF Junior Circuit at the Rizal Tennis Center.

It was the toughest match for the 15-year-old Alcantara, who came into this game allowing his first three opponents to score only four points. “I feel  I have a stronger chance of winning this year,” said Alcantara, a semifinalist last year, in Filipino.

But things are expected get quite tougher when the last Filipino bet faces Russian qualifier Artem Ilyushin in today’s finale.

The power-hitting Ilyushin, who lost to Filipino Kyle Dandan in last year’s first round, carved out a 6-2, 6-3 shock win over top seed Huang Liang Chi of Chinese Taipei.

On his way to the finals, Ilyushin stunned No. 3 Pablo Olivarez II in the second round and No. 5 James Duckworth of Australia in the quarterfinals before catching the biggest fish of them all in Huang, ranked 168th in the world.

In women’s action, Cody Morris of Australia humbled eighth pick Misa Eguchi of Japan, 6-4, 6-2, to forge a title duel with No. 7 Bianca Hincu of Romania, who trounced No. 6 Maho Kowase of Japan, 6-1, 6-4. Eguchi’s loss came after she surprised No. 1 Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul of Thailand, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, in Friday’s quarterfinal round of this event backed by Wilson Balls, Century Park Hotel and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Alcantara was as vicious in the doubles event where he teamed up with Duckworth in walloping Singapore’s Chee Jun Leong and Italy’s Luca Masiello, 6-3, 6-1. The win set Alcantara and Duckworth up against Liang Chi Huang and Chieh Lin Li of Chinese Taipei, a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) winner over Singapore’s Min Sylvester Wee and RP’s Pablo Olivarez II.

In girls‚ doubles, Chinese Taipei’s Lee Hua Chen and Juan Yu Chu slammed Japan’s Maho Kowase and RP’s Jessica Agra, 6-2, 6-2, to arrange a showdown with Romania’s Ioana Laura Alecsiu and Hincu  who zapped Morris and another Aussie Ashling Sumner, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.