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[LVL]

(From Manila Bulletin)


Kristel Satumbaga

Bambi Zoleta and Michelle Pang stumbled against separate Indonesian rivals yesterday in the PLDT-Smart ITF Women’s Circuit Week 2 at the Manila Polo Club claycourts.

Zoleta, eyeing to better her second round finish in the first week of the two-week series, appeared out of sync as she took a 3-6, 3-6 beating from Jessy Rompies while Pang bowed to Vivien Silfany-Tony, 1-6, 3-6.

Suffering from colds since last Monday, Zoleta struggled with her shots which Rompies exploited to book a second round seat in the $ 10,000 event.

"Hindi talaga ako makatakbo nang maayos. Sayang kasi kaya ko naman siyang ipanalo pero masama lang talaga ang pakiramdam ko," lamented Zoleta.

"Nakita ko na siya maglaro and medyo nakuha ko na ‘yung style n’ya. Kung wala akong sakit, kaya kong habulin ‘yung mga drop shots niya," the Lucena-born netter added.

Pang was also sluggish in her match as she failed to return seemingly easy shots from Silfany-Tony.

The two losses left the Philippines with only Czarina Mae Arevalo and Denise DY bidding to keep the locals’ bid. The two clash at 11:30 a.m. today in the continuation of first round hostilities.

Last week, during week 1, only Zoleta advanced to the second round while the rest were beaten in the first round.

Earlier, top seed Anastasia Poltratskaya of Russia found rough sailing in the early set before disposing of Elina Hasanova of Azerbaijan, 7-5, 6-1, while second pick Vlada Ekshibarova outclassed Anne-Valerie Evain of France, 7-5, 7-5.

The RP bets were also unfortunate in the doubles division as the tandem of Arevalo and Dy bowed to third seeds Eun-hye Cho and Minhwa Yoo of Korea, 1-6, 4-6, while Trudy-Gine Amoranto and Chinese partner Chun-Yan He were eliminated, 6-2, 6-2, by Indonesian Lutfiana Aris Budiharto and Thai Sophia Mulsap.

Also seeing action today are Fil-American defending champion Maureen Diaz, who faces Korean Yoon-young Jeong and Week 1 champion Nicole Riner of Switzerland, who takes on Indonesian fourth pick Ayu-Fani Damayanti.

[LVL]

ITF Women’s Circuit
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Arevalo outlasts Dy

By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

Czarina Mae Arevalo asserted herself over compatriot Denise Dy, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, yesterday to advance to the second round of the Smart-PLDT ITF Women’s Circuit Week 2 at the Manila Polo Club claycourt in Makati City.

Arevalo, who, together with Dy will compete in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next month, came through with a variety of shots to beat Dy after struggling in the first set.

The win set up Arevalo, the only Filipina left in the singles of the $ 10,000 event, to a second round meeting with fifth seed Ayumi Oka of Japan.

Oka, likewise, battled back from a first set loss to boot out Chinese Xi Lu, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The day also saw the early exit of defending champion Fil-Am Maureen Diaz, who bowed to Korean Yoon-Young Jeong, 3-6, 2-6.

The Bangkok-based Arevalo, who got eliminated in the first round of last week’s first leg of the two-phase event, struggled with her service at the start but went to the attack in the next two sets to beat her teammate.

"We know each other’s games so there’s actually no pressure," said Arevalo, a Communications student at Bangkok University. "Medyo nangapa lang ako n’ung first set."

For a while, Dy appeared headed to a straight set win but the Fil-Am netter lost steam midway in the second set after experiencing dizziness.

Dy tried to fight back in the third set but Arevalo was even more determined, breaking the former’s service thrice to seal the victory.

"Naging advantage din ‘yung pagkahilo n’ya. Hindi na niya masyadong nahahabol ‘yung bola," said the 22-year-old Arevalo.

Week 1 titlist Nicole Riner of Switzerland also barged into the second round via a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 upset win over fourth pick Ayu-Fani Damayanti of Indonesia.

Other seeded entries prevailed with No. 3 Eun-hye Cho of Korea bumping off Vietnamese Viet-ha Ngo, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, and seventh-seeded Ling Zhang of Hong Kong trouncing Korean Yoo-mi Jung, 6-4, 6-1.

Week 1 runner-up and eighth seed Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan ripped Thailand’s Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, 6-1, 6-3; Russian Margarita Edinarova defeated Belguim’s Sophie Cornerotte, 7-6, (3), 6-3, and Korean Hye-mi Byun thumped China’s Shi-Tong Shao, 7-6 (2), 6-2.