Iglupas, Cruz reach Phinma quarterfinal

MANILA, Philippines - Khim Iglupas knocked off another rival in straight-set fashion while wild card Monica Therese Cruz upended qualifier Alvina Lai of Hong Kong in three to arrange a quarterfinal duel in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships – Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Iglupas, seeking a sweep of the girls’ singles crown in the Grade 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-Under category event after dominating Week-1 last Sunday, dropped just three games to score a 6-0, 6-3 romp over Japan’s Asumi Kanazawa in one of the featured second round matches.

Cruz staved off elimination by bouncing back strong from an opening set setback as she repulsed Lai, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, to improve on her Last 16 effort in the event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies, Philippine Sports Commission and Mariposa Foundation.last week.

But she will need to double her effort to stop the 16-year-old Iglupas of the Philippine Tennis Academy in their battle for one of the semifinal berths in the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by Asiatraders Corp for the Dunlop balls.

Sixth-ranked Momoka Chimura, however, foiled Frances Santiago’s bid to join her compatriots in the quarters as the Japanese pounded out a 7-5, 6-3 victory over the local bet while No. 8 Ayumi Miyamoto eased out Thai Thassaporn Naklo, 6-3, 6-3, in the upper half of the draw.

Japan’s Aori Nagata and Satoko Sueno posted the day’s two reversals when they booted out the Kazakh pair of No. 4 Zhibek Kulambayeva, 7-6(2), 6-1, and No. 5 Milana Lysova, 6-2, 6-1, to clinch spots in the Last 8 phase.

Japan’s Toru Horie, meanwhile, suffered a set loss for the first time in two weeks but foiled compatriot Rio Noguchi, 6-1, 5-7, 7-5, just the same to remain on course of a sweep of the boys’ singles titles.

Joining Horie, who dominated Week-1, in the quarters were Thai Kittirat Kerdlaphee, who barely survived Filipino Andrew Cano, 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-4; American Ammar Alhogbani, who repulsed Thai Phonsapak Kerdlaphee in a thrilling finish, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), and Japan’s Yunosuke Tanaka, who also nipped compatriot Daisuke Sumizawa, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.