PH star Lehnert enters finals in Netherlands tennis tilt

Katharina Lehnert of the Philippines. INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

Katharina Lehnert scored an upset win over a local bet to barge into the singles finals of the $10,000 Parker Hannifin Open tennis championships Saturday in Oldenzaal, Netherlands.

The 21-year-old Lehnert, the newest toast of PH tennis, drubbed the fourth-seeded Kelly Versteeg, 7-5, 6-4, in the semifinals to arrange a final duel against qualifier Valentini Grammatikopoulou of Greece.

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The Greek turned back Paraguayan Camila Giangerco Campiz, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, in the other semis match. They dispute the title late Sunday in Manila.

Lehnert, who won bronze in singles and silvers in doubles and team events in the recent Southeast Asian Games, reached the semis with a rousing 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Swiss veteran Patty Schnyner.

Her victory over the 36-year-old former World No. 7 made the Filipino-German from Braunschwieg the favorite in the meet. Schnynder toppled top seed Sandra Zaniewska of Poland (6-2, 6-3) the previous round.

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Ranked 624th in the world after reaching a high of 389th two years ago, Lehnert is looking for her third ITF singles title in her career.

She earlier defeated Janine Hemmes of the Netherlands (6-4, 6-1), and Britt Geukens of Belgium (6-3, 6-3) in the first two rounds.