Lim, Thai seal ITF title clash

MANILA, Philippines - Alberto Lim Jr. and Thai No. 2 Vorachon Rakpuangchon dumped their respective rivals in emphatic fashions to arrange a keenly awaited showdown for the boys’ crown in the Ajay Pathak Memorial Cup ITF 14-Under Developmental Championship Division I at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The top-seeded Lim smothered No. 5 Parikshit Somani of India with another display of top-notch tennis, fashioning out a 6-0 6-1 romp to take a step closer to ruling the first of two tournaments lined up by ITF Grand Slam Development Fund and the Philippine Tennis Academy for the region’s leading junior players.

But the back-to-back NCAA juniors singles champion will have his hands full against Rakpuangchon, who likewise primed up for the big match with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hong Kong’s Sou Ming Chun Alan, when they face off the crown at 8:30 a.m.

While the boys’ order of play went true to form, upsets rocked the girls’ semifinals with No. 6 Ren Jiaqi of China stunning No. 4 Jang Eunse of Korea, 6-1,6-0, in the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Technifibre Balls, Wilkins, Mariposa Foundation, Cebuana Lhuillier, Chowking and Trans-Asia Corp.

Jiaqi, who also upset No. 2 Mihika Yadav of India, 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the quarters, will take on Mor Himani of India, who also shocked Chinese Tang Yutong, 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles’ action, Lim and Jan Godfrey Seno teamed up in downing the Hong Kong duo of Lee Wai Leuk and Filipino Jerome Romualdez, 6-2, 6-3, in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Another Phl bets John Bryan Otico and Arthur Pantino couldn’t duplicate the feat of Lim and Seno after falling to the Korean tandem of Kim Jaewoo and Kim Hyunjoo, 3-6, 0-6.

Meanwhile, the second leg of the event, held in honor of the late former Philta and ITF official Ajay Pathak, 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.