Phinma jr netfest gets going

MANILA, Philippines - The Phinma International Juniors Week I fires off today with a talent-laden international field clashing for top honors in the boys and girls divisions at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Australian Open juniors veteran Francis Casey Alcantara heads the local challenge in the week-long tournament along with Leander Lazaro and Kim Saraza in the boys’ side of the event which features Taiwan’s Hsieh Cheng-Peng, Thailand’s Nuttanon Kadchapanan and Chinese Xin Gao. Clinching the wild cards are Filipinos Akio Sy, Juan Fidel Regis, Zosimo Mendoza and Angelo Rivero.

Alcantara, a two-time winner here, is seeded behind Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Cheng Peng, who teamed up with the Filipino netter when they copped the juniors’ title in the Australian Open early this year.

“There’s no pressure, I hope to win here again,” said Alcantara, ranked 56th in the world who is coming off a semifinal finish in the recent PCA Open.

Anne Clarice Patrimonio, the country’s top player in the ranks, spearheads the RP bid in the distaff side of the event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies along with fellow wild cards Patricia Ortega and Jade Capadocia.

China’s Lin Zhu, Germany’s Katharina Lehnert, Taiwan’s Hsieh Shu-ying and Japan’s Sanae Ota and Riko Sawayanagi and Singapore No. 2 Stephanie Tan are the other players to watch in the tournament backed by Tecnifibre Balls, Powerade, Viva Mineral Water, Century Park Hotel and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Meanwhile, Shannin Mae Olivarez and Marinel Rudas fell short of their respective bids for spots in the main draw as they dropped their matches in the final qualifying phase of the tournament.

Olivarez, who surprised seventh seed Kamila Abdukadirova of Azerbaijan, 6-3, 6-1, Sunday, appeared headed for another romp when she took the first set, 6-2, against second seed Sari Baba of Japan. But she failed to sustain her charge and lost the next two, 2-6, 3-6.

Rudas, who also shocked No. 6 Hitomi Naito of Japan in the first round of the elims, likewise took the first set, 6-4, against fourth seed K. Von Deichmann of Liechenstein. But like Olivarez, she dropped the next two, 3-6, 2-6, and failed to advance to the main draw.