INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Francis Casey Alcantara smoothly pulled through but Anna Clarice Patrimonio failed to join him in the semifinals of the Phinma International Junior Week 2 tennis championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Alcantara moved within two wins of back-to-back titles here by outclassing Japan?s Soichiro Moritani, 6-4, 6-0, to barge into the semifinals of the boys? singles.

?I hope I can continue playing well,? said Alcantara, a 17-year-old Cagayan de Oro native who broke into the limelight early this year by winning the boys? doubles crown with a Taiwanese partner at the Australian Open.

Alcantara again became the lone Filipino standing after Patrimonio yielded to fourth seed and last week?s girls? singles champion Tian Ran of China, 6-2, 6-0.

Alcantara next faces another Japanese, eighth seed Kaichi Uchida, who outlasted Thai No. 3 Nuttanon Kadchapanan, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (2).

The young Filipino Davis Cupper downed Yoshihito Nishioka, also of Japan, 7-5, 6-0, to capture the Week 1 crown last Sunday.

Alcantara started slow against Moritani, committing four double faults that allowed the Japanese to forge a 3-3 tie in the first set.

But the Filipino found his groove just in time, taking three of the next four games to wrap up the set, before completely outclassing the Japanese in the second set.

Jeroen Vanneste of Belgium overpowered Nishioka, 1-6, 7-5, 6-0, and will meet Daniel Skripnik of Israel, who downed fourth seed Thai Phassawit Burapharitta, 6-1, 6-4.

Tian will battle second-seeded Japanese Yuki Uto, who eliminated China?s Zhao Quianquian, 7-5, 6-4, in the girls? semifinals.

Chinese top seed Zhu Lin and Rona Lavian of Israel will meet in the other Final Four match. Zhu rolled back Anna Tyulpa of Russia, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Lavian ousted Belgium?s Justine de Sutter, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5.