MANILA - Filipino netters Melanie Faye Dizon and Virvienica Isearis Bejosano won their respective matches on Wednesday to forge a second-round meeting in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors 1 at the Manila Polo Club indoor claycourt in Makati City.
Dizon pulled off a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 upset victory over Indian Annika Kannan, while Bejosano eliminated compatriot Raiana Felinne Aquino, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
The Phinma-PSC tournament is Dizon's second international tournament after the 1st ITF Perlis Junior Championships last October in Malaysia. She lost to Carol Youngsuh Lee of Northern Marianas Island, 2-6, 0-6, in the second round.
Bejosano, on the other hand, has been competing at the Brunei ITF Juniors Circuit since 2014.
Meanwhile, top seed Taiwanese Chang Ting-Pei bowed out of the competition after absorbing a 1-6, 0-6 setback from American Nicole Hammond.
Hammond's next opponent will be Australian Angelina Graovac, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Filipino wild card Maria Patricia Lim.
Third pick Chinese Li Xuanjin also lost her first-round match against Malaysian Elysia Wan, 4-6, 2-6.
Chang and Li's early exit has left No. 2 Lisa Mays of Australia, No. 4 Lin Wing Ka of Hong Kong, No. 5 Yuna Ohashi of Japan, No. 6 Aesha Patel of the United States and No. 7 Lai Pei-Yu of Chinese Taipei in the main draw of the Grade 4 event organized by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Mays rallied past Malaysian Elsa Wan, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, to advance against Chinese Li Jingyi, who won over Filipino wild card Bliss Bayking.
Lin clobbered Filipino Rafaella Jean Villanueva, 6-1, 6-1, to advance against Malaysian Suhana Sofia Mohd Adam Das, who beat Filipino qualifier Ma. Carmencita Isabela Carlos, 6-4, 6-4.
Ohashi outplayed Filipino qualifier Althea Fay Ong, 6-3, 6-3, to forge a second-round showdown with Chinese Tian Fangran, who conquered Filipino Bea Francesca Acena, 7-5, 6-0.
Patel trounced Singaporean Lynelle En Tong Lim, 6-2, 6-1, to advance against Japanese Sakura Kurokawa, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Filipino wild card Angelica Alcala.
Lai prevailed over Filipino wild card Gennifer Iysandra Pagente, 6-2, 6-2, to advance against Japanese Saki Oyama, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Filipino qualifier Sydney Ezra Enriquez. (PNA)
