POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Filipino tennis player Francis Casey Alcantara (right) and doubles partner Fajing Sun at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium in China in this undated photo. Alcantara on Wednesday (Aug. 28, 2024) said he is keeping a positive attitude as he looks forward to competing in Zhangjiagang, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China in the next three weeks. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Filipino tennis player Francis Casey Alcantara is keeping a positive attitude as he looks forward to competing in Zhangjiagang, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China.
Alcantara and Chinese Fajing Sun lost to Korean Yun Seong Chung and Japanese Yuta Shimizu, 6-7 (4), 4-6, in the men's doubles semifinals of the Jinan Challenger 50 event recently.
Chung and Shimizu eventually won the title after beating Australian Edward Winter and Japanese Rio Noguchi, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 10-6, in the final.
"It was a close match,” Alcantara said in an online interview on Wednesday. "I'll be here in China for three more weeks, and I hope to do better in my next tournaments."
He also had a semifinal finish in Chinese Taipei last week, teaming up with local Ray Ho. They bowed to Indian Sai Karteek Reddy Ganta and Thai Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul, 6-7 (8), 3-6.
Last month, Alcantara and local Maximus Jones won two tournaments in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
The pride of Cagayan de Oro bagged his first title this year in Chennai, India with Indonesian Christopher Rungkat.
Alcantara and Sun were runners up at the Nonthaburi 2 Challenger in Thailand, losing to Manuel Guinard and Gregoire Jacq of France, 4-6, 6-7 (6).
The Filipino also reached the semifinals in Anning, China (with Rungkat); Bengaluru, India (with Japanese Kaichi Unchida); and Nonthaburi Challenger 1 (with Uchida).
Alcantara is currently No. 218 in the world's doubles rankings. He achieved a career-high No. 162 last February. (PNA)
