FIFTEEN local bets slug it out with foreign rivals for four berths in the main draw as the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships hold a two-day qualifier beginning Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Michael Eala and Jerome Romualdez banner the Philippine contingent in the elims along with Jacob Martin, Cenon Gonzales Jr., Jan Godfrey Seno, Stephan Lhuillier, Jaime Chuidian, Jose Antonio Tria, Joaquin de Venecia, Joseph Tiamson, Kurt Mosqueda, Marcus del Rosario, Sebastien Lhuillier and Matthew Garcia.
Also in the fold are Hong Kong’s Max Wai Ming Lee, Chun Ho Chow and Kyle Tang, Indonesian Giorgio Soemarno and Daniel Gunawan, Vietnam’s Huynh Think and Thais Pawin Jirappomdaje and Nutdanai Sincharoenwattana.
Twenty two players have been seeded in the boys’ main draw of Week 1 of the two-week Grade 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.
They include Filipinos Bryan Otico and Arthur Pantino with China’s Chengze Lyu and Japanese Seita Watanabe leading the cast that also includes top junior players from Indonesia, Korea, Indonesia Malaysia, Vietnam and India.
Also in the 32-player draw are four wild card entries and two special exempts, according to Loida Mallare, tournament director of the event backed by Mariposa Foundation and Technifibre Balls, the official ball.
Also on tap is the girls’ qualifier with Monica Cruz, Amanda Zoleta, Frances Santiago and Danielle Poblador hoping to join top Filipino juniors Khim Iglupas, Rafaella Villanueva and Shaira Rivera in the main draw.
Hostilities in Week I of the two-stage meet starts Nov. 15.
The PSC-Phinma IJTC Week 2 will be held Nov. 22-27 with the qualifying sign-in on Nov. 19 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., also c/o Rawi and the qualifying matches set Nov. 20-21.