MANILA – Filipino netters Francis Casey Alcantara, Anna Clarice Patrimonio and Anna Christine Patrimonio remained in contention for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) PHINMA International Juniors Week 1.

Top seed Alcantara hammered China’s Tao Jun Nan, 6-2, 6-2, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila Tuesday. He will next face Italian Antonio Marcarelli, according to the ITF website.

Alcantara, the 2008 Australian Open Junior Boys’ Doubles Champion, entered in the doubles event with Leander Lazaro. The Alcantara-Lazaro pair is seeded No. 2 in the competition.

Kim Ivor Saraza was also successful in his opening round match against third seed Egyptian Omar Elkheshen, 7-5, 6-2. He will play against Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round.

Other Filipino junior netters, however, failed to get past the first round. Jurence Zosimo Mendoza lost to Kittipong Chienwichai of Thailand, 2-6, 1-6 and Juan Fidel Regis took a 3-6, 3-6 defeat from Japan’s Shoki Hachiya.

Angelo Joseph Rivero was beaten by Germany’s Sebastian Richter, 1-6, 1-6, while Akio Sy was defeated by Woo Chung Hyo of South Korea, 0-6, 4-6.

Sister act

Anna Clarice and Anna Christine, daughters of PBA legend Alvin Patrimonio, will see action in the doubles event. They will play against Thais Nahathai Khuntaket and Rongrong Leenabanchong.

In the singles event, Anna Christine hurled the opening round test by beating Japanese Riko Sawayanagi, 6-3, 7-5, while Anna Clarice is scheduled to face Japanese Sari Baba in the first round.

Patricia Joy Orteza, on the other hand, crashed out of the tournament. She got the upper hand in the first set but eventually lost to Khuntaket, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6.

Marian Jade Capadocia, meantime, slumped to a 1-6, 0-6 loss to Chinese Zhao Qianqian.

The ITF PHINMA International Juniors Week 1, a Grade 4 tournament, will run until Sunday.
-- With reports from The Philippine Star and International Tennis Federation