PROMISING NETTER. Alexa Joy Milliam in action during the second round of the 13th Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) 14 and Under Series at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Centre hard courts in Kuching, Malaysia on Thursday (September 6, 2018). (Photo courtesy of Roland Kraut)
MANILA -- Alexa Joy Milliam stunned tournament top seed Cheuk Ying Shek of Hong Kong, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, to reach the girls' singles quarterfinals in the 13th Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) 14 and Under Series at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Centre hard courts in Kuching, Malaysia on Thursday.
The 13-year-old Milliam, a Grade 8 student at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), will be up against Malaysian Anastasia Kai Xuan Wong, who eliminated fifth seed compatriot, Xin Huang Tan, 7-5, 6-4.
Others marching on to the next round of the tournament, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF), were Malaysians Lim Lim Zan Ning and Sze Xuan Lim, and Thai Pimmada Lim.
The second-seeded Lim LZN prevailed over Japanese Kaili Demi Teso, 6-3, 6-1, to advance against No. 8 Ching Laam Lai of Hong Kong, a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Malaysian Ainasyahira Siau Anak Empie.
Lim SX, ranked third, trounced Singaporean Tamryn Brown, 6-0, 6-2, to set up a meeting with seventh seed Malaysian Tng En Lydia Liong, who beat Japanese Noelani Sara Teso, 6-2, 6-2.
The fourth-ranked Lim P rallied past Filipino Nina Angelica Alcala, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, to advance against sixth seed Malaysian Hui Yii Soo, who won over fellow Malaysian Brittany Jing Yu Michael Tiang, 6-2, 6-2.
Milliam, who hails from La Carlota town in Negros Occidental, also made it to the doubles semifinals. She and her partner Brown downed No. 2 Malaysians Hui Yii Soo and Xin Hung Tan, 6-2, 6-3, to advance against fourth seeds Ching and Tng, who demolished Nathanielle Ann Wan Xuan Lee of Malaysia and Annabella Wong of Latvia, 6-0, 6-0.
Top seeds Lim P and Lim SX trounced Alcala and Malaysian Kyleen Chen, 6-3, 6-2, to set up a semifinal showdown with third seeds Lim LZN and Taing, who posted a 6-3, 6-0 win over Teso KD and Teso NS.
Meanwhile, second seed Rupert Ohrelle Tortal downed Hong Kong's Ho Him Ling, 6-1, 6-2, to lead three other Filipinos into the quarterfinal round of the boys' singles category.
Tortal, a Grade 8 student at the Surigao City National High School, will face fifth seed Malaysian Ryan Lai Eng Lim, who clobbered compatriot Keshav Sreekumar, 6-0, 6-0.
Brent Signmond Cortes of Lanao del Norte National Comprehensive High School upset seventh seed Singaporean Maximus Wong, 6-0, 6-2, to forge a quarterfinal meeting with tournament top seed Malaysian Lin En Tan, who scored a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Indonesian Faried Widyarohmadhiansyah.
Davao City's John David Velez, who is also a Grade 8 student at Letran, outclassed Singaporean Ethan Maan, 6-1, 6-0, to arrange a showdown with Hong Kong's Lai Ching Chung, who ousted fourth seed Indian Nikhil Mukherjee, 6-1, 6-3.
Rainier Angelo Selmar, a Grade 8 student of La Camelle School in Cavite, outplayed sixth seed Singaporean Luke Koh, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, to advance against third seed Malaysian Muhammad Zhahin Lelyas Kamarul Zaman, who won over Hong Kong's Ho Wan Li, 7-6 (2), 6-0.
In the doubles category, Cortes and Tortal beat top seeds Zaman and Mukherjee, 6-0, 7-5, to advance in the semifinal round against third seeds Luke Koh and Wong, who won over Sri Lanka's Akaash De Silva and Saudi Arabia's Mohammad Saadeddin, 6-1, 6-0.
The other semifinal match will feature Velez and Selmar against Lai Ching Chung and Ho Wan Li.
Velez and Selmar defeated Malaysians Umar Haiyat Mohd Rosdi and Keshav Sreekumar, 6-0, 6-2, while Lai and Ho downed second seeds Lin En Tan of Malaysia and Iden Mcelhone of Great Britain, 2-6, 6-3 [10-4].
Roland Kraut, who serves as coach of the team sponsored by United Tennis Philippines, said the players have a good chance at winning.
"Our players are strong in this tournament. All boys are 14 this year so they are the seniors. I really expect them to really do well," said Kraut, the long-time coach of De La Salle University, in an online interview Friday morning.
"Johndy (Velez) has the game to win it all. Brent is very mature for his age. Rupert has ATF experience," said Kraut. "Alexa beat the top seed and she has a chance to, all the way."
Milliam, Velez, Cortes and Selmar are first-timers in the ATF Circuit. Milliam and Velez are trained by Macs Crankit Tennis Academy. (PNA)
