Chinese roll past foes in Asian Juniors tennis

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese Li Yue Nv and Yan Qian Ting of China overpowered their respective rivals in yesterday’s rain-drenched start of the ITF Asia 14 and Under Development Championships–Division I Week 2 to cruise into the second round at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Foiled by compatriot Cao Si Qi for the girls’ title in Week I of the ITF Ranking event last Saturday, Li cranked up her game early and swept Indonesia’s Aulia Rosma Pramudani, 6-0, 6-0, to set up a clash with the winner of the No. 15 Chen Tzu Hui of Chinese Taipei-Daria Sevchenko of Kazakhstan being played at press time.

Li, the top seed in Week I, dropped a 1-6, 1-6 setback to an in-form Cao in the finals but is out to redeem herself this week and gain another title crack in this week-long tournament put up by the International Tennis Federation in cooperation with the Philippine Tennis Association.

The fourth-ranked Yan, on the other hand, walloped local bet Ma. Dominique Ong, 6-0, 6-1, to likewise advance against the victor between No. 13 Valeriya Popova of Uzbekistan and Yus Syazlin Yusri of Malaysia in the tournament backed by the Philippine Tennis Academy, Mariposa Foundation, Dunlop Fort Balls, Magnolia Purewater and Century Park Hotel.

Most of the matches were delayed due to intermittent rains.

Fil-Am Meredith Jones, seeded 11th, was one game away from disposing of Choi Seo In of Korea after leading 6-4, 5-0, before rains forced the organizers to halt the match.

Also leading before the rain delays in the event, supported by Fresh Fruits, Fiesta Brands, Cebuana Lhuillier, Phinma and the Philippine Sports Commission, were No. 3 Pranjala Yadlapalli of India against the Phl’s Maia Bernadette Balce, 7-6 (2), 2-1, Rifanty Dwi Kahfiani of Indonesia over No. 16 Jacinta Yuan Sze Chen of Hong Kong, 6-3, 4-2, and Vanshika Swashney of India against Nurin Nabila Roslan of Malaysia, 6-3, 4-1.

Ingrid Mariz Gonzales was also ahead of No. 7 Gozal Ainitdinova of Kazakhstan, 3-0, before their duel was halted.