National team members Johnny Arcilla, Patrick John Tierro, and Francis Casey Alcantara handily beat their foes along with teenage sensation Alberto Lim Jr. Wednesday in the Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier wildcard tennis meet.
The tough, 128-man men’s draw is now pruned down to eight players who have endured the shift to the PCA clay courts that they claimed were much slower and more slippery that the previous shell/clay surface.
“It was so slow, and the bounce was much lower,” said eight-time PCA Open champ Arcilla after dumping Arthur Craig Pantino, 6-2, 6-1.
Top seed Tierro routed Noel Damian Jr., 6-1, 6-0, in centercourt to also make the final eight.
Alcantara tamed Roel Capampangan, 6-4, 6-3. But he will have to contend with Lim who ousted Argil Lance Canizares, 6-0, 6-1.
Elbert Anasta and Rolando Ruel Jr. also advanced.