Hammond clinches semis berth in Phinma juniors netfest

Meanwhile, boys’ singles top seed John Bryan Otico defeated Malaysian Danial Ahmad Farid, 6-2, 6-1, on Thursday to reach the quarterfinal round of the tournament oganized by the Philippine Tennis Association. (Pexels photo)

MANILA — American Nicole Hammond marched onto the girls’ singles semifinals after scoring a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Filipino Shaira Hope Rivera in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors 2 at the Manila Polo Club indoor clay court in Makati City on Friday.

Hammond, who won the singles and doubles titles last week, will be up against No.

7 Japanese Saki Oyama, a 7-5, 6-1 winner over Chinese Li Jingyi.

Second seed Thai Punnin Kovapitukted and third seed Australian Lisa Mays also won their respective matches to arrange a Final Four showdown.

Kovapitukted, who entered the main draw as a qualifier, beat No. 8 Japanese Yuna Ohashi, 7-6 (5), 6-2, while Mays won over American Elizabeth Stevens, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Meanwhile, boys’ singles top seed John Bryan Otico defeated Malaysian Danial Ahmad Farid, 6-2, 6-1, on Thursday to reach the quarterfinal round of the tournament organized by the Philippine Tennis Association.

Otico will be up against fifth seed Indonesian Odeda Muhammad Arazza, who won over American Jericho Grollman, 6-3, 6-1.

Joining Otico in the next round were third seed Arthur Craig Pantino and sixth seed Michael Francis Eala.

Pantino, last week’s runner-up, downed Hong Kong qualifier Lee Marvin Mang Hin, 6-4, 6-2 to advance against Japanese Ryota Ishii, who pulled off a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 upset win over No. 7 Malaysian Shamirul Shahril Mohd Adam Das.

Eala, on the other hand, trounced Indonesian Jerail Yasin, 6-3, 6-1, to forge a quarterfinal meeting with second seed Japanese Shunsuke Mitsui, a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Filipino Manuel Balce III.

The other quarterfinal match will feature fourth seed Japanese Taiyo Yamanaka against compatriot Kei Manaka.

Yamanaka prevailed over Malaysian Darrshan Suresh, 6-1, 6-3, while Manaka eliminated Filipino wild card Jose Maria Pague, 6-2, 6-1.