PHL netter Alcantara wins doubles title in Singapore

The Filipino-Dutch pair marched into the championship round after posting a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Japanese duo Issei Okamura and Arata Onozawa in the semifinals. (Photo: russellstreet/ Flickr)

MANILA— The third-seeded pair of Filipino Francis Casey Alcantara and Dutch Sem Verbeek were crowned doubles champions on Monday in the USD15,000 Singapore Open ITF Futures Week 1 at the Kallang Tennis Centre.

Alcantara and Verbeek won the title over Japanese tandem Hiroyasu Ehara and Sho Katayama, 6-3, 6-2.

The Filipino-Dutch pair marched into the championship round after posting a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Japanese duo Issei Okamura and Arata Onozawa in the semifinals.

In the quarterfinals, Alcantara and Verbeek rallied past Japanese tandem Ken Onoda and Masato Shiga, 6-3, 5-6 [10-3].

Ehara and Katayama, on the other hand, eliminated second seeds compatriots Katsuki Nagao and Hiromasa Oku, 7-6, (5), 6-2, in the other semifinals match.

Ehara and Sho Katayama also scored a 6-2, 6-3 upset victory over fourth seeds Japanese Yuichi Ito and Thai Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul, 6-2, 6-3.

Alcantara and Verbeek will be competing in the second leg starting Tuesday in the same venue.

Meanwhile, Ehara won the singles title over top seed Australian Dayne Kelly, 6-3, 6-3.

Ehara advanced to the finals when Trongcharoenchaikul retired in the second set with Ehara leading 6-2, 2-1.

Kelly, on the other hand, booked a seat in the finals after scoring a 6-3, 6-3 victory over sixth-ranked Vietnamese Nam Hoang Ly in the semifinals.