INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Francis Casey Alcantara turned back New Zealand?s Adam Lee, 6-3, 7-5, Wednesday and barged into the third round of the 15th Sarawak Chief Minister?s Cup-ITF World Junior tennis championships in Kuching, Malaysia.

The fourth-seeded Alcantara, 18, trailed in both sets before advancing in the Grade 1 tournament also featuring compatriot Jeson Patrombon.

Patrombon, a wild-card entry through the effort of Philippine Lawn Tennis Association executive vice president for junior tennis Ajay Pathak, downed Kalle Averfalk of Sweden, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round Tuesday.

The 17-year-old Patrombon, who made the semifinal in the Thailand ITF Grade 1 event last week, was to play fifth seed Ben McLachlan of New Zealand in the second round late Wednesday.

Alcantara, who made it to the quarterfinals in Thailand, was down, 3-1, in the first set before it was interrupted by rain, allowing him and coach, former Davis Cupper Jun Toledo, to review their game plan. Marc Anthony Reyes