Lehnert yields to Thai ace

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-German Katharina Lehnert ran into a more-experienced Thai Luksika Kumkhum and absorbed a 4-6, 2-6 defeat ending her Cinderella run in the ICTSI-ITF Women’s Circuit Week 1 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

The tall, charming Lehnert couldn’t sustain the lethal form she displayed in shocking top seed Nungnadda Wannasuk of Thailand, 6-4, 6-4, in Friday’s quarterfinals and bowed to the well-rested and feisty Kumkhum in this weeklong event presented by ICTSI.

“She played better,” said the 16-year-old Lehnert, who was accompanied here by her Filipina mother, Rosario, La Union native Imelda Lungsod, and one-year-old sister Mara.

“She’s also well-rested while I’m a little bit tired because I had to go through the qualifiers to make it to the main draw,” she added.

Lehnert, however, was happy to make it to the semis, bringing down the top seed along the way.

“I was surprised too, I really didn’t expect I could reach it this far,” said Lehnert, who took up the sport nearly a decade ago after trying out soccer, her father Sebastian’s favorite sport, and dancing.

Lehnert hopes to ride on this ITF ranking tour event presented by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc., and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Slazenger Balls, Chris Sports, Viva Mineral Water, Powerade, Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Inc., and Century Park Hotel with a better showing in Week 2 of this same tournament.