Mendoza, pal Yeung outlast Chinese rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino netter Jurence Zosimo Mendoza stayed in the hunt as he and his partner from Hong Kong, Pak Long Yeung, hurdled their first-round assignment in boys’ doubles play yesterday at Melbourne Park in Australia.

The 16-year-old Mendoza and Yeung trounced Chinese duo Siyu Liu and Wei Qiang Zheng, 6-4, 4-6 (10-8), banking on their accurate first serve in the super tiebreak (six-of-nine first serve in and four-of-six first serve won) to secure the victory in the prestigious Grade A netfest.

Mendoza and Yeung will gun for a spot in the quarterfinals against the seventh seeds, Mackenzie McDonald of the US and Mazen Osama of Egypt, in a second-round encounter today.

McDonald and Osama nipped Germany’s Adrian Obert and Paul Woerner in come-from-behind fashion, 2-6, 6-1, 10-6, to start their campaign.

Currently ranked 55th in the International Tennis Federation junior rankings, Mendoza is trying to score a breakthrough in the doubles after taking an early exit in the singles competitions.

The top Pinoy junior netter earlier yielded a 3-6, 1-6 setback to top seed Nikola Milojevic of Serbia last Saturday in the opening day of the junior side of the grand slam event.

Earlier, Fil-Am Treat Conrad, also competing in men’s doubles, crashed out of contention last Thursday. The 27-year-old Davis Cupper and English partner Dominic Inglot fell to No. 4 duo Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Horia Tecau of Romania, 6-7(4) 7-6(8) 6-3.