Patrombon bucks shaky start, rips Taiwanese

MANILA, Philippines - Jeson Patrombon survived an early scare and went on to boot out Chinese Taipei’s Liang Wen-chu, 7-5, 6-0, yesterday and advance to the second round of the PSC-Philta International Men’s Futures Open at Valle Verde Country Club shell courts in Pasig City.

Patrombon, 22, blew a 3-0 lead in the opening set but the former world juniors No. 9 and Davis Cupper recovered in time to hack out the win before shutting down his rival in the next to complete the straight-set victory.

“It’s really tough in the opening game. I was a bit stiff in the first set but settled down in the next,” said Patrombon, ranked 1209 in the world and is now under a new coaching system after enrolling in the Hope Tennis Academy in Chinese Taipei.

Patrombon will next face the winner between Filipino-Spaniard Diego Garcia-Dalisay and Japanese third seed Kento Takeuchi in the meet organized by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Tennis Association, Pioneer Insurance, Babolat, Asian Tennis Federation and Philta president Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

But compatriot and fellow Davis Cupper Patrick John Tierro fell to seventh seed Hung Jui-chen of Chinese Taipei, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.

But Tierro fought back from a first set rout with a scrambling win in the second. The local ace even took a 3-2 lead in the decider but failed to sustain his charge as Hung took the next four games and the match.

Another Filipino wildcard Kyle Dandan was playing No. 8 Hiromasa Oku of Japan at presstime.

Also making it to the next round in the event supported by Palm Rock Hotel, Sweet Valley, TCU Aircon Sales and Services, Globe, Beginnings Baby Products, The Henry Hotel, ROCD Roofworks and IPTL (International Premier Tennis League), were Japanese Issei Okamura and Katsugi Nagao.

Okamura pulled off a 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 upset of fifth seed Vinayak Sharma Kaza of India, while his compatriot Nagao booted out Lin Wei-de of Chinese Taipei, 6-4, 6-2.

In men’s doubles, Taiwanese pair Tin Chen and Hsin Lin edged Edward Bourchier of Australia and Ilya Vsailyev of Russia, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Johnny Arcilla debuts today against Yusei Fukuoka, while Filipinos Francis Casey Alcantara and Elbert Anasta collide in the first round.