Lim dominates, Jones keeps form in ITF meet

MANILA, Philippines - Alberto Lim Jr. launched his bid in the Ajay Pathak Memorial Cup/ITF Asia 14-and-under Development Championships 2013 Division I with a resounding 6-1, 6-0 victory over China’s Jiang Xingsheng even as Fil-British Meredith Jones rolled to another win at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The 13-year-old Lim, the back-to-back NCAA juniors champion who drew a first round bye, dished out an awesome baseline game to dominate Jiang and cruise into the third round of the boys’ division of the event sponsored by the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund and the Philippine Tennis Academy.

Jones, meanwhile, followed up her straight set win over Thu Nguyen Phuong of Vietnam Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-1 romp over Hong Kong’s Lam Wing Kiu to likewise reach the third round of the girls’ playing in the first of two five-week tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Technifibre Balls, Wilkins, Mariposa Foundation and Trans-Asia Corp.

Others who advanced to the third round were Korean Eunse jang, who repulsed Youmi Zhuoma of China, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4; Himani Mor of India, who edged Korean Park Mi Jeong, 6-4, 7-5; and Thai Yinglak Jittakoat, who defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Eliza Askarova, 6-4, 6-4.

Monica Therese Cruz, who bowed out in the first round to Komola Umarova of Uzbekistan, stormed past Wai Yiu Tsang of Hong Kong, 6-0, 6-4, in the consolation pool while Jan Godfrey Seno, who was also ousted in the first round, lost the first set but won over Timothy Kuah of Singapore, 4-6, 3-3 (retired).

Thai Vorachon Rachpuangchon blasted Vietnamese Nguyen Dac Tien, 6-2, 6-1, while China’s Wu Yibing trounced India’s Vashist Vinod, 6-4, 6-0, to join Lim in the third round of the event held in honor of the late former Philta and ITF official Ajay Pathak.

Meanwhile, the second leg will be played March 11-15. For details, contact tournament director or assistant tournament director Aaron Joshua de Leon and Loida Mallare, respectively, at (632) 5236415. Tournament referee is Wannawit Srirasa while Suresh Menon is the ITF representative.