San Jose gains finals in PSC junior netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Unseeded Mary Rose San Jose sustained her big run and smothered Rafaella Villanueva, 6-2, 6-0, to get a crack at the 12-and-under crown in the first Philippine Sports Commission National 2010 Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

But San Jose, who upended second seed Bianca Cruz, 6-2, 3-6(10-4), will have her hands full as she faces top seed Erika Manduriao in the finals after the latter breezed through with a walkover win over Chloe Saraza in the other semifinal match.

In boys’ play, top seed John Altiche moved closer to completing a sweep of the two-stage tournament sponsored by PSC for the country’s leading and rising junior players as he held off Joshua Canno, 6-3, 7-6(7), to reach the semis round of the 18-and-under class.

He will take on Adam Deromas, who strolled to a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Gabriel Gutierrez in the tournament backed by Dunlop Fort Elite balls. The other semis pairing pits No. 8 Betto Orendain against second seed Radharani Reyes.

Meanwhile, unranked Kyle Parpan shocked second seed Orendain, 7-5, 5-7(10-6), to barge into the semis round of the 16-and-under category against No. 4 Calvin Canlas, who swept Daniel Villasenor, 6-3, 6-2.

Sixth ranked Hans Asistio also advanced in the 16-under class as top seed Maverick Victoria retired in the second set, 4-6, 2-0 (Ret.). Asistio faces No. 3 Alfonso Opulencia, who scored a 2-6, 6-1(11-9) win over Kyle Joseph.

In the 14-and-under group, No.. 6 Albert Lim Jr. fashioned out a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Jose Cano to clinch a semis berth in the lower half of the draw while No. 3 Jerimiah Latorre scored a walkover win over Marcen Gonzales in the upper bracket.

Fancied Julian Dayrit and Mimo Tomacruz rolled to the semis of the 12-and-under play with 6-0, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-0 victories over Lance Jumawan and Allen Zapanta, respectively.

The top seeded Dayrit collides with No. 3 Joel Atienza, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Jacob Martin, while the No. 2 Tomacruz squares off with giant-slayer Mahmod Dimacuta, who bundled out fourth seed Cenon Gonzales, 6-3, 6-2, for berths in the finals.