Pantino, Eala crowned champs of Phinma-PSC doubles

FILE: Filipino Junior Tennis Player Arthur Craig Pantino (Photo: Arthur Craig Pantino/Facebook)

MANILA — Top seed Filipinos Arthur Craig Pantino and Michael Francis Eala were crowned boys’ doubles champions in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors 1 on Saturday.

Pantino and Eala won the title after beating third seeds Kei Manaka and Taiyo Yamanaka of Japan, 6-2, 6-2, in their final showdown at the Manila Polo Club indoor claycourt in Makati City.

Meanwhile, Pantino marched onto the singles final after posting a 6-1, 6-2 victory over third seed Japanese Taiyo Yamanaka in the semifinal round of the Grade 4 event sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation and organized by the Philippine Tennis Association.

Pantino will be up against top seed Japanese Shinsuke Mitsui, who clobbered fourth seed Indonesian Odeda Muhammad Arazza, 6-1, 6-1, in the other semifinal match.

Mitsui is currently No. 264 in the world juniors rankings. He has played 11 tournaments this year and has won the singles and doubles titles in the Northern Marianas Juniors Championships last May.

In the girls’ division, Americans Nicole Hammond and Elizabeth Stevens defeated Chinese pair Li Jingyi and Tian Fangram, 6-3, 6-4, to capture the doubles title.

Hammond and Stevens will dispute the singles title after scoring contrasting victories in the semifinal round.

Hammond stunned fourth seed Lin Wing Ka of Hong Kong, 6-2, 6-1, while Stevens needed an extra set to win over second seed Australian Lisa Mays, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. (PNA)