Horie completes Phinma sweep; Miyamoto prevails

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese Toru Horie mastered compatriot Yunosuke Tanaka and came away with an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory yesterday to complete his sweep of the boys’ singles crown in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships – Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Horie had more trouble in disposing of India’s Udayan Bhakar, 7-5, 1-6, 6-3, in Saturday’s semis than repeating over Tanaka, whom he also bested, 6-2, 7-5, in Week-1 finals of the two-week Grade 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-Under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies, Philippine Sports Commission and Mariposa Foundation.

Ayumi Miyamoto capped the Japanese domination of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by Asiatraders Corp for the Dunlop balls as she whipped Momoka Chimura, 6-1, 6-2, to snare the girls’ diadem.

It was a big comeback for Miyamoto, who lost to first leg champion Khim Iglupas in the quarterfinals last week but got back at the Filipina ace in last Saturday’s semis, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4), to reach the finals.

Iglupas, meanwhile, salvaged the girls’ double crown as she and partner Rifanty Kahfiani of India held off Japan’s Yu Fukioka and Nanaka Takeuchi, 6-7(6), 6-3 (10-3).

The Iglupas-Kahfiani pair scored a walkover win over Zhibek Kulambayeva and Milana Lysova of Kazakhstan in last week’s girls’ doubles finals.

Horie also completed a four-title romp as he and Tanaka beat Rio Noguchi and Daisuke Sumizawa, 7-5, 6-3, to sweep the boys’ doubles crown.