Fil-fors advance to PCA semis

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am Desirae Krawczyk and Fil-German Marc Sieber continued to turn in solid games as they trampled their respective rivals to advance to the semifinal round of the P500,000 29th Philippine Columbian Association Tennis Open at the Plaza Dilao clay courts in Paco, Manila yesterday.

The 16-year-old Krawczyk outlasted Maika Jae Tanpoco, 6-4, 6-4, while the top-seeded Seiber, who hails from Munich, Germany, had a relatively easier time in ousting Ronald Joven, 6-2, 6-1.

Krawczyk, a Palm Springs, California native who topped the Phinma International tilt last week, faces top pick Anna Clarice Patrimonio for a spot in the finals of the event presented by Cebuana Lhuillier.

Patrimonio overpowered Tamitha Nguyen in the second set to complete a 6-4, 6-0 triumph.

The 22-year-old Sieber, for his part, arranged a semis encounter with No. 4 Patrick John Tierro, who bundled out last year’s losing finalist Marc Reyes, 6-3, 6-3.

“I wasn’t making so many mistakes and I was serving a little better compared to my earlier matches,” said Sieber.

It was sweet revenge for Tierro, a former Davis Cupper, who lost a heartbreaker of a setback to Reyes in their semis clash last year. Reyes wound up losing to five-time champion Johnny Arcilla.

“He (Tierro) has a strong forehand,” said Sieber of Tierro.

Arcilla, seeking his fifth straight crown and sixth overall, joined Sieber and Tierro in the last four with an emphatic 6-3, 6-2 victory over No. 5 Rolando Ruel Jr. He takes on third ranked No. 3 Elbert Anasta, who dominated Ralph Barte, 6-1, 6-0.

But focus will be on Patrimonio and Krawczyk with the former out to live up to her billing and the latter seeking to make it back-to-back after ruling last week’s Phinma International tournament.

“It’s going to be a great match, we’ll see,” said the soft-spoken Patrimonio.

Second seed Anna Christine Patrimonio blanked No. 7 Martina Guba, 6-0, 6-0, to stay on course for a possible all-Patrimonio title clash.

Anna Christine battles No. 4 Marinel Rudas in the other semis clash after the latter scored a walkover win over Louise Alexandra Lopez.