Lehnert, Capadocia duel for PCA singles diadem

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Fil-German Katharina Lehnert had no problem brushing off Rachelle De Guzman, 6-1, 6-0, even as defending champion Marian Jade Capadocia turned back Clarice Patrimonio, 6-3, 6-4, yesterday to forge a duel for the women’s singles crown in the Philippine Columbian Association Open tennis championships presented by Cebuana Lhuillier.

Lehnert, the world No. 445 in women’s singles, played true to form in blasting De Guzman who went this far through impressive wins over former Phl No. 1 Christine Patrimonio and fourth seed Aileen Rogan.

Later, United States-bound Capadocia, 17, made a second straight trip to the finals after downing Patrimonio in a marathon two-hour match that saw them taking turns breaking each other’s serves.

Quicker and more patient, the 5-foot-1 Capadocia got a breakthrough after breaking the 5-foot-8 Patrimonio in the eighth and 10th games of the second set.

“By the second set I was feeling dizzy because I wasn’t feeling well,” said Capadocia in Filipino. She bared that she’s got a hurting back and shoulders going into the match.

Now Capadocia, who is also the reigning PCA Open-Kia junior champ, will try to become the first back-to-back women’s singles champion since Czarina Arevalo did it in 2002-2003.

Women’s finals is set for 1 p.m. today, preceding the 2 p.m. men’s title duel between Johnny Arcilla who is looking for his seventh title, and Fil-Am Davis Cup hotshot Ruben Gonzales.

The finals are scheduled late in the day to give way to players and supporters wanting to watch the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez 4 on television, said the organizers of the event also sponsored by Kia, Dunlop, Head, Babolat, Whirlpool, PCSO and PVL Restaurants.

Whatever happens in the singles championships, Arcilla and Clarice Patrimonio are assured of slots in the Kia Amateur Australian Open next year which is part of the preparations for the first Grandslam event of the season.

Phl team top gun Treat Huey and former Phl No. 1 junior player and Philippine Tennis Association vice president Randy Villanueva will go against former champs Francis Casey Alcantara and Ronard Joven for the men’s doubles championship.

Marian Jade Capadocia and elder sister Jella Jade will shoot for the women’s title against Lehnert and US-born Filipina Toby Miclat.

Tennis patron Jean Henri Lhuillier and Indonesian former Cupper Andrian Raturandang will take on Mike Misa and Randy Vale for the pro-am crown.