Tajima ousts Otico, makes Phinma final

JAPANESE Naoki Tajima stopped gutsy Filipino John Bryan Otico, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, Saturday to make the boys final of the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Tajima will gun for the title against fellow Japanese James Trotter who edged South Korea’s Jeong Yeong-seok, 7-5, 6-3.

Otico’s defeat ended the Philippine campaign in the two-week tourney where Filipino top
junior Khim Iglupas reigned in girls’ Week 1 of the Grade 4 ITF tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies.

Japan’s Ayumi Hirata reached the girls final with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over compatriot Naho Sato. Hirata will face yet another Japanese Satoko Sueno, who ousted Himari Sato, 6-3, 6-3.