INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines -- Jeson Patrombon starts his US Open juniors campaign Monday against a Peruvian seventh seed who beat the Filipino on the way to the semifinals of this year?s French Open.

The 17-year-old Patrombon hit the ground running after arriving in Flushing Meadows in New York Sunday, squeezing out a practice stint with a Taiwanese player despite a 25-hour flight from Manila, reported his coach, former RP Davis Cupper Manny Tecson.

``We don't want to waste time so after getting our credentials we went straight to the tennis center and hit some balls,'' said Tecson in an email on Sunday.

Patrombon gets going in the first round against 18-year-old Duilio Beretta, who defeated him, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-2, in the second round at Roland Garros this year. Beretta later made it to the semis.

His doubles partner has yet to be named and the boys? doubles draw hasn't been posted in the US Open website.

Fil-American Raymund Sarmiento, playing under the banner of the United States, will see action against Brazil's Karue Sell in the first round.

Patrombon, used to playing on hard courts, has a fair chance of beating Beretta whose surface of choice is clay. Beretta is currently No. 7 in the world juniors ranking after a high of No. 4 last June.