By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Francis Casey Alcantara and Thai partner Maximus Jones edged Indian pair Rishi Reddy and Dhakshineswar Suresh, 7-6 (6), 6-4, to capture the M15 Nakhon Si Thammarat International Tennis Federation (ITF) men’s doubles title over the weekend in Thailand.
The top-seeded tandem survived their hard-serving unseeded rivals for their first ITF doubles title as a pair.
It was the second ITF doubles crown this year for Alcantara and 24th overall while Jones finally bagged his first doubles title this year and fifth overall.
“Finally! Thank you to my partner and coach. One more week here in Thailand. Vamos Papi!” Alcantara wrote on social media.
In the previous leg last week, Alcantara and Jones almost clinched the title but settled for the runner-up honors against another Indian duo in Adil Kalyanpur and Vishu Vardhan.
Prior to their championship feat, the Filipino-Thai pair toppled New Zealand’s Isaac Becroft and Thailand’s Pawit Sorniaksup in the opening round, 6-2, 6-2; locals Krittin Koaykul and Jirat Navasirisomboon, 3-6, 6-3, 10-6; and Japan’s Yamato Sueoka and Thai Thantub Suksumrarn, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.
