Mendoza seals semis duel with top seed Serbian

JURENCE Zosimo Mendoza sustained his electrifying run with a resounding 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Jack Schipanski of Australia in the boys’ singles of the Mitsubishi Lancer international junior tennis championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Working behind a big serve, Mendoza wrapped up the quarterfinal win in 45 minutes despite the stifling heat and sealed a semifinal clash with top seed Nikola Milosevic of Serbia, who cruised to an easy 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Omar Jasika of Australia.

It was Mendoza’s second win for the day as he earlier sewed up his postponed third-round match against Liu Siyu of China in the morning with a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4) win.

“He is playing wisely and offers different style against different opponents,” said his coach Martin Misa. “If he’s going all the way, it’s going to be his serve and forehand that will take him there.”

The left-handed Mendoza attacked Schipanski’s shaky forehand to quickly settle the issue. His match with the 6-foot-2 Siyu was halted by rains Thursday.

Mendoza, a practice player for the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup team, said he is bent on becoming the first Filipino to win the prestigious crown.

“I’m already here, I will go all the way,” said Mendoza, who was runner-up in the PCA Open singles last year.

Milosevic beat Mendoza, 7-6, 6-1, in their first meeting last month in the Bangkok ITF that saw the Filipino blowing a 5-2 lead in the first set.

“Now they know each other better, and it will all come down to execution tomorrow,” said Misa of his ward.

Jeson Patrombon reached the finals of  the boys’ singles here last year but bowed to Andrew Whittington of Australia.