Alcantara cruises past Thai rival, enters semis

MANILA, Philippines - Francis Casey Alcantara continued to dish out fine form and trampled Thailand’s Kittipong Chienwichai, 6-4, 6-2, as he moved two wins away from retaining the crown in the Phinma Juniors International’s Week 1 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The 17-year-old Alcantara blitzed Chienwichai with crisp shots and solid groundstrokes to post his third straight-set win in row in the tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies.

The top seeded Filipino, who also trounced Chinese Jan Nan Tao, 6-2, 6-2, and Italy’s Antonio Marcarelli, 6-3, 6-1, takes on Japanese Kazuma Kawachi today for a berth in the championship round.

Kawachi needed an extra set to repulse compatriot Soichiro Moritani, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, and clinch the other semis berth in the upper half of the draw of the tournament backed by Tecnifibre Balls, Powerade, Viva Mineral Water, Century Park Hotel and the Philippine Sports Commission.

“I have to be patient because this is the first time I’m facing him,” said Alcantara, bracing for a tough fight against Kawachi, in Filipino.

The Japanese also dominated the lower bracket of the boys division with Yoshihito Nishoka and sixth seed Kaichi Uchida pounding out victories in varying fashions.

Nishoka overwhelmed Shoki Hachiya, 6-1, 6-0, while Uchida held off Austrian Nathan Lemke, 6-3, 7-6(5).

Alcantara, eyeing a sweep of the boys’ titles, also teamed up with Leander Lazaro as they nipped Sylvester Alamdar of Thailand and Louis Donczyk of Germany, 7-5, 7-6(1), late Thursday to advance to the semis of the boys’ doubles event.

In girls play, top seed Yuki Ito of Japan blasted No. 8 Anna Tyulpa of Russia, 6-1, 6-3, to arrange a semis duel with No. 7 Ran Tian of China, who defeated L. Tian of Singapore, 6-0, 6-1.

Belgium’s Justine de Sutter turned back Germany’s Katharina Lehnert, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, while Vietnam’s No. 6 Dal Phuong Huynh won over Liechenstein’s K. Von Deichmann, 7-5, 6-2, to clinch the semis slots in the lower bracket.