By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The Philippines under 14 Boy’s tennis player Jurence Mendoza has done quite well in the 2nd leg of the International Tennis Federation’s Asian Team European tour.

The tournament was played at the Tennis Centrum “De Molen” in Leeuwarden, Netherlands on an artifical clay court. Read the rest of this entry »

Jeson Patrombon claimed Miki Jankovic as his first victim in a Grand Slam event beating the Serbian netter, 6-3, 6-1, in the French Open Junior Championships in Paris.

Patrombon played aggressively against Jankovic, the younger brother of world No. 4 Jelena Jankovic, as the 17-year-old Filipino netter proved to be too much against his opponent who is 56 places below him in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior rankings. Read the rest of this entry »

Playing against solid opponents seems to ignite the fire in Jeson Patrombon.

The top Filipino junior netter bounced back after losing the first set by winning the next two sets and carving out a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, victory over Darian King of Bardados in the opening round of the boys’ singles in the 46th Astrid Bowl Charleroi, Belgium International Junior Championships. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines – Jeson Patrombon could not sustain his top form as he lost to fellow unseeded Vitor Galvao of Brazil, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, in the second round of the 51st Trofeo Bonfiglio at the Tennis Club Milano Bonacossa in Milan, Italy. Read the rest of this entry »

PROMISING Filipino netter Jeson Patrombon is revving up for the prestigious French Open slated from May 23 to June 3 at the historic Stade de Roland Garros (French for Roland Garros Stadium) in Paris, France. Read the rest of this entry »

THE Philippine’s best men’s team players are all set to compete in the 2010 World Table Tennis Team Championship on May 23 to 30 in Moscow, Russia.

Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP) Vice President Jose Ortalla Jr. said the association has selected four players headed by Richard Gonzales, Ting Ledesma, Ernesto Ebuen and Isaias Serenio to go to Russia. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s leading and upcoming junior netters resume their chase for ranking points as they compete in the Okada-Juntaphil Cup starting today at the Manila Polo Club in Makati.

Tamitha Nguyen goes for her second championship in as many weeks as she leads the field in the 18-under girls class. The daughter of former star Edna Olivarez will also see action in the 16-under class of the Group 3 event presented by Okada Resorts and First Gen Corp. and sponsored by Smart Communications. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino junior netter Jeson Patrombon fell short of winning the Dunlop Japan Open Junior Championships 2010, settling for a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 tennis event held in Nagoya.

According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Patrombon lost to Japanese Rikuto Furuta, 2-6, 2-6, in the Boys Singles final on Sunday. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Francis Casey Alcantara blew a pair of match points in the second set and then succumbed to cramps in the decider to drop a heartbreaking 6-4, 5-7, 1-6 decision to Wang Chuhan of China in the 21st Mitsubishi ITF Junior Championships at the Rizal Tennis Center yesterday.

Late in the day, Fil-Am Raymond Sarmiento, likewise bowed out after he absorbed a 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, setback to qualifier Timur Neymatov of Russia as the host nation reeled with a shutout in the singles event. Read the rest of this entry »

The Philippines will have to wait for at least another year anew for a local champion after Francis Casey Alcantara and Marian Jade Capadocia bowed out of contention in the singles of the 21st Mitsubishi Lancer International Juniors Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

The fourth-seeded Alcantara, the top Filipino juniors campaigner with an International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranking of No. 38, came out strong in the opening set but lost his touch after racing to a 5-2 lead and getting two match points in the second set against 13th pick Wang Chuhan of China in the next two frames to absorb a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 loss. Read the rest of this entry »

*SEMIS UPDATE* James Duckworth (AUS) defeated Jeson Patrombon (PHI) 4-6,6-1,6-2

Jeson Patrombon crushed unseeded Mitchell Krueger of the United States, 6-2, 6-1, to barge into the semifinals of the Grade 1 Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup Junior Championships Saturday in Kuching, Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »

Toughened by a series of tournaments abroad, including a stint in the juniors of the Australian Open, Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon hope to become the first Filipino champion in the boys’ singles of the Mitsubishi Lancer International Junior Tennis Championships which starts on March 23 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

No Filipino has ever won the boys’ singles crown in the history of the Grade 1 event, but this year, Alcantara and Patrombon have the needed credentials to win it for the country.
Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino tennis player Treat Conrad Huey lost to Tatsuma Ito despite putting up a gallant stand against the Japanese during the opening day of the Davis Cup tennis Asia-Oceania zone Group 1 war between the Philippines and Japan.

The scores were 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in favor of Ito after 3 hours and 30 minutes of play at the Namihaya Dome indoor court in Osaka, Japan.

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Filipino Davis Cuppers are poised to shock host Japan when they tangle in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group on Mar. 5-7 at the Namihaya Dome in Osaka, Japan.

The Philippines and Japan have faced each other in 25 Davis Cup ties overall, with the latter prevailing 16 times.

The Japanese team has also scored victories in the last two meetings, including a 5-0 sweep in 2008 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

But despite the unfavorable head-to-head results, Filipino tennis officials see the brighter side in the country’s drive for a possible return trip to the World Group Playoffs.

“We got swept by Japan in 2008 but we gave them a tough fight in the first three singles. We also competed against them with Eric Taino sick,” aid RP Davis Cup administrator Randy Villanueva. [read more]

MANILA, Philippines – Three-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games men’s singles gold medalist Cecil Mamiit vowed the other day to play with the same level of intensity, passion and drive at the Asian Games in Guangzhou this November as in Laos but hesitated to promise any medals because he expects the competition to be world-class.

Still, Mamiit said the Philippine team will be more than ready for war particularly as the men are playing with the best of Asia in the Davis Cup ties this year. Read the rest of this entry »