Phinma Final 4: Iglupas stays alive, faces Thai

KHIM Iglupas frustrated her quarterfinal foe with a dizzying mix of shots to become the last local girl standing in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 yesterday at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

The 16-year-old Iglupas completely disrupted the game plan of Japanese Ayumi Miyamoto to prevail, 6-4, 6-1, and reach the semifinals of the ITF Grade 4 event.

A product of the Philippine Tennis Academy, Iglupas will gun for a finals slot against Thailand’s Watsachol Sawasdee, who drubbed another Japanese, Ramu Ueda, 6-3, 6-3.

Iglupas’ coach, former PH Davis Cupper Jun Toledo, said they are confident against the left-handed Watsachol, whom the Filipino will be facing for the first time.

“For as long as Khim is able to follow the game plan, we have a strong chance,” said Toledo.

Maia Balce, the other Filipino  in  the quarterfinals, bowed to No. 7 Satoko Sueno of Japan, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).  Sueno will next take on Indonesian Rifanty Kahfiani, who routed Chen Yue-lin of Chinese Taipei, 6-0, 6-1.

In the boys’ singles, Chinese Taipei’s Chung Han-tsai upset No. 8  Phongsapak Kerdlaphee of Thailand, 6-0, 6-1, to arrange a semifinal match against fifth seed Yunosuke Tanaka of Japan.  Marc Anthony Reyes