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Sports

Lee, Yoo set up all-Korean title duel

- Joey Villar -

MANILA, Philippines - Second seed Lee Ye Ra and fourth pick Yoo Mi fashioned out straight-set victories over their respective semis rivals yesterday to arrange an all-Korean showdown for the $10,000 Holcim/ITF Women’s Circuit Week I crown at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Lee, who advanced to the semis with a 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 5 Liu Shaozhuo of China late Friday, fought back from a three-game deficit in the second set to turn back a tough Juan Ting Fei of Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 7-5, and clinch the first championship berth.

Yoo, who trounced No. 7 Han Sung Hee of Korea in the semifinals, had an easier time against Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand, annexing an emphatic 6-1, 6-3 victory to set up an interesting showdown between two of Korea’s rising stars.

Lee also teamed up with Kim Sun Jung to hammer out a shock 6-0, 6-0 rout over No. 3 He Sirui and Liu Shaozhuo of China last Friday to book the first seat in the finals of the doubles event of the tournament sponsored by Holcim, PLDT/Smart, Phinma and the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund.

On their way to the championship round, the Lee-Kim tandem stunned the second-seed pair of Sophia Mulsap and Natchanok Saenyaukhot of Thailand, 6-3, 6-2.

Lee and Kim will meet the winner of the match between No. 1 Beatrice Gumulya of Indonesia and Han Sung Hee of Korea and another Korean pair Han Na Lae and Yoo Mi for the title.

Han and Yoo were leading, 6-3, when their match was stopped on account of darkness Friday.

Gumulya and Han advanced with an emphatic 6-2, 6-0 win over He Chun Ya of China and Trang Huynh Phuong Dai of Vietnam while Han and Yoo nailed the other berth following a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over No. 4 Ofri Lankri of Israel and Linda Mair of Italy.

The tournament, the first of a four-week meet featuring some of the world’s upcoming juniors players, is organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by Tecnifibre Balls and the Philippine Sports Commission.

BEATRICE GUMULYA OF INDONESIA AND HAN SUNG HEE OF KOREA

CIRCUIT WEEK I

GRAND SLAM DEVELOPMENT FUND

GUMULYA AND HAN

HAN AND YOO

HAN NA LAE AND YOO MI

HAN SUNG HEE OF KOREA

HE CHUN YA OF CHINA AND TRANG HUYNH PHUONG DAI OF VIETNAM

HE SIRUI AND LIU SHAOZHUO OF CHINA

HOLCIM

JUAN TING FEI OF CHINESE TAIPEI

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