THE LOCAL girls struck hard in the first round yesterday.
Led by Week 1 champion Khim Iglupas, three Filipino junior netters hurdled their opening-round assignments with ease in the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 2 at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
The 17-year-old Iglupas crushed Nagomi Higashitani, 6-1, 6-2, to reinforce her bid for a singles sweep in the Grade 4 meet.
Iglupas will next face another Japanese, Sakura Yonehara, who downed Lee Han-byeol of South Korea, 6-2, 6-2.
Joining Iglupas in the next round are Shaira Hope Rivera and Maia Balce.
Rivera downed Japan’s Sachico Sho, 6-1, 6-2, and gained a second-round duel against Chinese Wang Xin Yu. The fifth-seeded Balce overwhelmed Thai Parima Leenabanchong, 6-1, 6-3.