Patrombon survives Mexican

MANILA, Philippines – Top seed Jeson Patrombon recovered from an opening set down and outplayed 14th pick Luis Patino of Mexico, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, Thursday to storm into the quarterfinals of the 22nd Mitsubishi-Lancer International Juniors Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Patrombon, the last Filipino standing in the Grade 1 event after 12 local wildcard bets crashed early in the first round, rose quickly in the second frame and took advantage of a cramping Mexican rival to nail the victory in a little over two hours.

The victory arranged the country’s top junior player a date with the winner between unseeded Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Roberto Cid of the United States, who were playing at presstime.

“Masyado akong nag-kumpiyansa sa first set kaya naunahan ako. Nag-focus ako na makabawi kaagad at hindi manggigil,” said the world No. 9 Patrombon, who is looking for his first singles title this year.

Patrombon saw his 4-1 opening-set lead vanish after Patino, ranked No. 54 in the world, took the next three games with his aggressive baseline attacks.

The Filipino briefly picked up his rhythm and won the ninth game, but the Mexican was even more persistent at the baseline as he took the first set.

Patrombon regained his composure by holding his serves in the second set as Patino started cramping.  The Mexican called for a medical timeout prior to the decider, going back to court limping in every shot.

The Filipino pounced on the opportunity although he dropped the first and the seventh game due to unforced errors.

“Natutunan ko sa match na ito na kapag nakalamang na ako, kailangan ko nang kapitan, hindi na dapat ako mag-relax,” said Patrombon, who is also bidding to win the doubles crown.

Patrombon and Kiwi partner Jaden Grinter were playing the Canadian pair of Samuel Monnette and Filip Peliwo in the second round doubles.  The fourth-seeded Filipino-Kiwi tandem earned an opening round bye.

Jurence Mendoza and Thai partner Warit Sornbutnark were battling third seed Vasile-Alexandru Ghilea and Teodor Marin of Romania at presstime after thumping Australian Luke Saville and Joey Swaysland, 6-4, 7-6 (9), late Wednesday.

Clarice Patrimonio and Katherine Ip of Hong Kong were also playing No. 7 Basak Eraydin of Turkey and Elizaveta Kulichkova of Russia at presstime after winning by default over Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina and Ukraine’s Yuliya Lysa. (MB)

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Patrombon provides relief to embattled PH tennis

(MB) MANILA, Philippines – Jeson Patrombon provided a measure of relief for the embattled Filipino tennisters as he overpowered German Patrick Elias, 6-3, 6-3 to barge into the third round of the 22nd Mitsubishi-Lancer International Juniors Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Patrombon, who enjoys the rare accolade of being the top seed in this tournament which is in its 22nd year without missing a break, wasted five match points before nailing the victory on the sixth with forehand down-the-line shot which Elias returned to the net.

“Atat na akong manalo nun kaya nanggigil ako. Pero nakapag-adjust naman ako kaagad,” said Patrombon, a quarterfinalist of the Australian Open last January, who was up 40-0 in the eighth game but was forced to two deuces before prevailing.

“Magaling ang kalaban ko, puro baseline yung atake nya,” said Patrombon of his rival.

He was broken twice but his forehands winners saved him most of the time. He broke his rival four times.

Patrombon next faces the winner between Jordan Thompson of Australia and No. 14 Luis Patino of Mexico, who are playing at presstime.

He must keep his hot form to keep the country’s bid alive after six other local wildcard berths were eliminated by their foreign rivals.

In all, 12 Filipinos have been booted out of the tournament in the first round – a development that mirrored the sad plight of the sport in the country.

In the first day, Tamitha Nguyen, Clarice Patrimonio, Marinel Rudas, Anne Rene Castillo, Calvin Canlas and Marian Jade Capadocia suffered crushing defeats at the hands of their unseeded foreign rivals.

They were joined Wednesday by Jurence Mendoza, Enrique Ferrer and Andrew Joshua Cano.

Mendoza surrendered to Taiwanese Jao Chi-Shan, 6-3, 7-6 (6), Ferrer bowed to Canadian qualifier Edward Nguyen, 6-0, 6-0 and Cano yielded to Chinese Cao Zhaoyi, 6-1, 6-0.

Also eliminated were Juan Alfonso Opulencia, who absorbed a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing from Australian Nick Kyrgios, Kyle Parpan, who lost to Japanese qualifier Soichiro Moritani, 6-2, 6-1; and Maika Tanpoco, who dropped a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 decision to Belgian Klaartje Liebens.

Australian qualifier Joey Swaysland produced the day’s biggest win by downing No. 5 Jannick Lupescu, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Also posting big wins were Australian Nick Kyrgios, who surprised Stefan Lindmark of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-3; and qualifier Edward Nguyen of Canada who beat No. 11 Teodor Marin of Romania, 6-3, 6-4.

Australian Open finalist and fourth seed Luke Saville cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over American Emmett Egger, while Belgian eighth pick Kimmer Coppejans beat Mexican Juan Pablo Murra, 6-4, 6-4

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Pinoy netters fall like dominoes

MANILA, Philippines — Six Filipino wildcard bets, including Clarice Patrimonio, proved no match to their foreign rivals and crashed out right in the first round of the 22nd Mitsubishi Lancer International Juniors Championships Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Though their rivals were unseeded, Patrimonio, Tamitha Nguyen, Marinel Rudas, Marian Jade Capadocia, Anne Rene Castillo and Calvin Canlas still could not summon the skill to overcome their rivals.

Patrimonio, daughter of four-time PBA MVP winner Alvin, suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat against Indonesian Nadia Ravita.

Nguyen lost to Sweden’s Susanne Celik, 6-2, 6-1; Rudas to Belgian Elike Lemmens, 6-0, 7-5; and Castillo to Canadian Kimberley-Ann Surin, 6-0, 6-0.

Capadocia, who last year reached the third round, yielded to Romanian Patricia Maria Tig, 6-4, 6-3, while Canlas was blanked by Mexican Juan Pablo Murra, 6-0, 6-0.

Other Filipino wildcard entries Jurence Mendoza, Enrique Ferrer, Andrew Joshua Cano, Juan Alfonso Opulencia, Kyle Parpan and Maika Tanpoco are still playing at presstime.

Mendoza is playing against Taiwanese Jao Chi-Shan, Ferrer against Canadian Edward Nguyen, Cano against Chinese Cao Zhaoyi, Opulencia against Australian Nick Kyrgios, Parpan against Japanese Soichiro Moritani and Tanpoco against Belgian Klaartje Liebens.

Boys’ top seed Jeson Patrombon, who is determined to win his first singles title this year, earned an opening-round bye. (MB)

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