Michael Eala and Jose Maria Pague struggled past their respective rivals but six other local bets took early exits in the Week 2 of the Phinma-PSC Juniors Tennis Championships yesterday at the Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park.
The sixth-ranked Eala, who reached the quarters in Week I of the Group 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-and-under eventruled by Japanese Shunuke Mitsui over Filipino Arthur Pantino last Sunday, toppled Mikihisa Matsuzaki of Japan, 6-3, 6-4, to arrange a second round duel with the winner in the Indonesian Jerall Yasin-Xie Yu Lun of China clash.
Pague, on the other hand, survived a tough first round encounter with Sida Zeng of China before reasserting his might in the next to complete a 7-5, 6-3 triumph in the upper half of the 32-player draw of the ranking event sponsored by the Philippine Investment Management Consultants (Phinma) and Technifiber and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta).
He will next face Kei Manaka of Japan, who ousted Matthew Garcia, 6-2, 6-3.
Bryan Otico, fresh from his career breakthrough win at PCA Open last week, was playing Nowa Matsubayashi at presstime, with the top seed Filipino tipped to roll past the Japanese and spearhead the hosts bid in the week-long ITF-sanctioned tournament supported by Technifiber ball as official ball, official hotel Jinjiang Inn, Makati and the Philippine Sports Commission.
