Top seed Khim Iglupas and Shaira Rivera barged into the quarterfinals yesterday in the Phinma-PSC international juniors championships at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
The 18-year-old Iglupas, who won Week 1 of this event last year, overcame the challenge of Japanese Shiori Ito to prevail, 6-4, 7-5.
Looking for her second title this year after winning the ITF juniors in Thailand last January, Iglupas will next take on Mariya Polishchuk of Russia, who bundled out New Zealand’s Oleksandra Kalachova, 6-3, 6-2.
Currently the junior world No. 104, Iglupas will be joined in the quarterfinals by fellow Philippine Tennis Academy stalwart Rivera.
The 17-year-old Rivera, who hails from Ozamis City, downed Hong Kong’s Mia Wong, 6-1, 6-1.
She will battle the winner between No. 2 Lee Kuan-yi of Chinese Taipei and Shevita Aulana of Indonesia.
The Philippines is out of the boys’ division fight after the exit of Manuel Balce III and Michael Francis Eala.