Patrombon takes early exit in India

MANILA, Philippines - A tensed Jeson Patrombon got a rude welcome in the men’s circuit as the top Filipino junior netter took a stinging 1-6, 0-6 setback to fancied Indian Yuki Bambri in the first leg of the $10,000 ITF Futures tournament in Chandigarh, India.

Bambri, the No. 2 seed and winner of last week’s $15,000 men’s meet, overwhelmed Patrombon with a variety of shots to give the 18-year-old Iligan pride the boot in the 32-man main draw.

Patrombon’s coach Manny Tecson said his ward had some sort of “culture shock” in the environs of the men’s tour but this happens to every junior player who makes the transition into the pros.

“He told me that he was tight and nervous in his first ITF men’s Future because he doesn’t know what to expect and the environment is totally different in the juniors,” Tecson said. “This is very normal for a rookie and this is the reason why I want to expose Jeson early in the men’s game for him to learn and adapt to this new level.”

Not to take away the credit from Bambri, Tecson said the Indian, who’s expected to break into the Top 300 of the ATP world rankings, played a lot better.

“Bambri has been playing well recently and his experience was the key factor in his match against Jeson,” he said.

Patrombon himself admitted to succumbing to nerves.

“He told me he was just thinking too much to a point that it paralyzes him into not playing his normal game. These things are normal for a junior who is stepping in the men’s league for the first time,” Tecson said.

From Chandiragh, Patrombon will travel to Noida to prepare for the second leg, where he is entered in the qualifying rounds.