Mendoza, Capadocia rip foes, gain 3rd round

MANILA, Philippines – Jurence Zosimo Mendoza and Marian Jade Capadocia crushed their respective rivals Wednesday to reach the third round of the 23rd Mitsubishi Lancer International junior tennis championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Unlike in Tuesday’s first round where both needed three-set victories, Mendoza and Capadocia produced emphatic wins this time that validated their bids to rule their respective divisions.
The 15-year-old Mendoza used his vast experience and training with the PH Davis Cuppers to stun fourth seed James Frawley of Australia, 6-1, 6-4.
Capadocia, already a Southeast Asian Games medalist and the PCA Open women’s singles champ at 16, earlier clobbered 14th seed Klaartje Liebens of Belgium, 6-3, 6-1, in the Grade 1 tournament for players 18 years and younger.

The PCA Open men’s singles runner-up was hardly challenged in the 35-minute match, using his consistent baseline game to frustrate Frawley who, in a fit of disgust, threw down his racket a few times throughout the match.
Mendoza, ranked 246th in the world, will face the winner between 16th seed Liu Siyu of China and Simeon Rossier of Switzerland, who were still playing  at presstime.

Up next for Capadocia is another seeded foe in Barbora Krejcikova, the third seed from the Czech Republic, who survived India’s tough-fighting Kanika Vaidya, 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-2.