Olivarez lives thru tiebreaks to hit semis

MANILA, Philippines - Eric Olivarez Jr. won two tiebreakers to eke out a stirring come-from-behind 4-6, 7-6 (5), 13-11 victory over Lim Min Soeb of Korea and barge into the semifinals of the ITF Asia 14 and Under Development Championships–Division I Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Olivarez rebounded from an opening set setback with a scrambling tiebreak victory in the second frame then survived two match points to snatch the deciding set super tiebreak for the hard-earned victory that lasted almost two hours.

“I didn’t play well in the first set but I adjusted,” said Olivarez, who comes from a family of doctors and tennis players headed by uncle and Phl tennis chief Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez.

Olivarez, out to atone for a disappointing second round performance in Week One of the ITF-sanctioned event which offers ranking points, seeks a place in the finals against top seed and last week’s champion Oh Chan Yeong of Korea.

Oh trounced No. 6 Meng Cing Yang of Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 6-2, to remain in the hunt for back-to-back titles in the event held under the auspices of the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by the Philippine Tennis Academy, Mariposa Foundation, Dunlop Fort Balls, Magnolia Purewater, Century Park Hotel, Fresh Fruits, Fiesta Brands, Cebuana Lhuillier, Phinma and the Philippine Sports Commission.

But while Olivarez advanced, Alberto Lim Jr. stumbled and dropped a heartbreaking 6-2, 4-6, 7-10 defeat to No. 4 Wu Tung Lin of Chinese Taipei late Tuesday.

Also making it to the semis was No. 5 Karimov Jurabek of Uzbekistan, who rallied to stun No. 2 and Week One runner-up Chung Yun Seong of Korea, 3-6, 7-5, 10-6.

The girls’ top two seeds Cao Si Qi and Li Yue Nv, both of China, downed Bae Dohee of Korea, 6-3, 6-4, and No. 5 Himani Mor of India, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7, respectively, to breeze through the semis.

Cao will face No. 3 Pranjala Yadlapalli of India, who turned back No. 6 Napharat Sawangkaew of Thailand, 6-4, 6-3, while Li tackles unseeded Yusri Yus Syazlin of Malaysia, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over No. 8 Um Seon Young of Korea.