Week winners on collision course
Week 1 champion Khim Iglupas and Week 2 winner Ayumi Miyamoto subdued separate rivals yesterday to roll into the quarterfinal round and stay on course for an explosive semifinal tussle in the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 at Manila Polo Club in Makati.
The third-seeded Iglupas followed up her 6-2, 6-0 romp over Korean Hyeran Yun Wednesday by easing out Japan’s Nagomi Higashitani, 6-3, 6-1.
The 17-year-old Filipino will next face Japanese Anri Nagata, who bundled out Taipei’s Ting Chieh-wei, 6-0, 6-3, in the last 8 phase of the event backed by Mariposa Foundation, Palm Rock Residencs and Dunlop Sport.
The top-ranked Miyamoto, who foiled Iglupas in the semifinals en route to the Week 2 crown last year, routed Korean Han Byeol Lee, 6-2, 6-3, to set a quarterfinals clash with the winner in the Yingyi Yang-Joleta Budiman match being played at presstime.
Chinese Wang Xin Yu, who shocked second seed Naho Sato, 6-4, 7-5, in the inaugurals, sustained her fine form, ousting local ace Rafa Villanueva, 6-1, 6-0, for a quarterfinals showdown with Japanese Sakura Yonehara, who thwarted Taiwanese Ho Chao Hsia, 7-5, 7-5.
Fourth seed Satoko Sueno of Japan, thwarted Taiwan’s Yuelin Chen, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, to advance against the winner of the Lian Tran-Himari Sato showdown.
Victories by Miyamoto and Iglupas will seal their semifinals face-off.
Miyamoto, 14, outlasted Iglupas in their semis duel in Week 2 last year, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Iglupas and Miyamoto were set to meet late yesterday with Iglupas teaming up with Shaira Rivera and Miyamoto combining with Anri Nagata in the girls’ doubles quarterfinals.
Other Filipinos vying in the boys’ quarterfinals are Arthur Pantino, John Otico, Noel Damian and Vince Salas.
