MANILA, Philippines – Fil-Spanish Diego Garcia Dalisay downed countryman Fritz Verdad, 6-3, 6-2, to emerge the lone Filipino survivor on the first day of the qualifying round of the ATP Challenger Philippine Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
The win by the 16-year-old Madrid-born Dalisay, who is representing the Phl for the first time, kept his bid alive for a berth in the main draw of the $75,000 event although he will have his hands full against Croatian Nikola Mektic.
Mektic, a 27-year-old circuit veteran who is currently ranked 347th in the world, made it through with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Italian Stefano Napolitano.
Dalisay said he was trying his best to play relaxed.
“I just to tried to enjoy the experience and play my game,” said Dalisay, who is training under national mentor Roland Kraut.
Filipinos who made it to the main draw via wild card were Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales, Jeson Patrombon, AJ Lim and Francis Casey Alcantara.
Phl bets Patrick John Tierro and Leander Lazaro, in contrast, were shown the door after losing to Chinese Taipei’s Yi Chu Huan, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6, and South Africa’s Ruan Roelofse, 1-6, 2-6, respectively.
Also surviving were India’s Sundar Prashanth over Russian Alexander Vasilenko, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1); India’s Sanam Singh, over Monaco’s Benjamin Balleret, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3; and Spain’s Gerard Granollers over Austria’s Maximillian Neuchrist, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).