Filipino netters head to exits in Philta Futures

With explosive games and continuous bombings, top-ranked foreign foes completely blew up the Philippine men’s singles campaign Thursday.

The three remaining Filipinos in the second round—Jeson Patrombon, Johnny Arcilla and Francis Casey Alcantara—ran against opponents who were in high gear en route to the quarterfinals of the $15,000 PSC-Philta International Men’s Futures Open at Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig.

No. 1 pick Enrique Lopez-Perez of Spain disposed of Johnny Arcilla, 6-0, 6-4; third seed Kento Takeuchi of Japan downed Jeson Patrombon, 7-5, 7-5; and eighth seed Hiromasa Oku drubbed Francis Casey Alcantara, 6-0, 6-2, to wipe out the Philippine contingent.

The debacle left the country with just one bid in the doubles as Alcantara and Arcilla lock horns with Chinese Taipei’s Lee Kuan-yi and Liang Wen-chu in the quarterfinals.

Ranked 355th in the world, the 24-year-old Lopez-Perez was unstoppable and no amount of Arcilla’s old-guy style of game could deter his superb active baseline game. The Spaniard appeared to have relaxed in the second set, yielding a serve as Arcilla took a 3-0 lead.

It proved to be just a breather as Lopez-Perez went on a rampage once again to finish things off in just 57 minutes.

Lopez-Perez will next face seventh seed Hung Jui-Chen of Chinese Taipei who moved on via 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-1 triumph over Edward Bourchier of Australia.

Patrombon and Alcantara suffered almost the same fate.

Patrombon, the only world ranked PH-based Filipino at 1,209th, was holding his own when he led at 5-4 after an exchange of breaks. But the world No. 569 southpaw made a hold and a decisive break in the ensuing games to eventually take the set.

Also getting to the next round were No. 3 Harry Bourchier of Australia and Japan’s Ochi Makoto.