Netter Pantino gears up for 3 int’l tournaments

The 16-year-old Pantino, the highest ranked Filipino in the ITF world juniors at No. 200, is scheduled to leave on March 1, four days before the PTT-ITF tournament kicks off at the National Tennis Development Center (LTAT) in Nonthaburi, which is Thailand’s second largest city. (Facebook photo)

MANILA — Cebuano Arthur Craig Pantino will resume his campaign in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors Circuit at the PTT-ITF Junior Grade 1 tournament in Thailand.

The 16-year-old Pantino, the highest ranked Filipino in the ITF world juniors at No. 200, is scheduled to leave on March 1, four days before the PTT-ITF tournament kicks off at the National Tennis Development Center (LTAT) in Nonthaburi, which is Thailand’s second largest city.

Pantino will also compete in the 31st Chief Minister’s Cup slated March 13-18 at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association Center in Kuching, Malaysia and the China 6 Juniors tournament to be held at the Sichuan International Tennis Center from March 27-31.

“I am determined to improve my world ranking so I can compete in the US Open Juniors in September,” said Pantino in an interview on Friday. He is a Grade 9 student at the Seibo College in Malabon City.

Pantino will be accompanied by former Philippine Davis Cupper Jun Toledo, who serves as coach of the Philippine Tennis Academy (PTA) which is sponsoring the Cebuano’s international trips.

The PTA is headed by long-time tennis patron Romeo Chan, who has supported many former national players such as Bobbie Angelo and Camoy Palahang. Also training with PTA are SEA Games and Fed Cup veteran Khim Iglupas; Davis Cup player John Bryan Otico and promising players Shaira Hope Rivera, Bliss Bayking and Sydney Ezra Enriquez.

Last January, Pantino joined the Hong Kong International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors Championships where he won the doubles title with Thailand’s Kasidit Samrej. The Filipino, however, lost his semifinal match to Chinese Taipei’s Chang-lin Tsai, 2-6, 2-6, in the singles.

Pantino won his first ITF Juniors title in November last year, beating compatriot John Bryan Otico in the final of the Phinma-PSC International Juniors 2 at the Manila Polo Club indoor clay court in Makati City.

Pantino also won back-to-back doubles titles in the two-leg tournament organized by the Philippine Tennis Association.

He won the second leg title with Otico while he teamed up with Michael Francis Eala in the first leg.

In October 2017, Pantino pocketed the doubles title with Beibit Zhukayev of Kazakhstan in the 1st ITF Perlis Junior Championships in Malaysia.