By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Doubles specialist Francis Casey Alcantara is scheduled to compete in a string of high-profile Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger events in the coming months, including the ongoing Bangkok Open 2 in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Alcantara, a former Grand Slam champion in the boys doubles, is teaming up with American Evan King as they go up against the Indian pair of Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Saketh Myeni in the opening round of this ATP Challenger 75 event that stakes a total prize fund of $100,000.
The tournament serves as Alcantara’s first event of the season as he aims for the elusive doubles title in the Challenger Tour.
So far, the two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games bronze winer has won 25 doubles crown in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures Tour since 2015.
Alcantara, 32, is currently ranked No. 227 in the ATP doubles and went as high as no. 162 early last year — thanks to three ITF doubles titles in Thailand and India with partners Maximus Jones of Thailand and Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia.
Seeking to boost his rankings, he is also set to compete in another Challenger 75 event in Bangkok from Jan. 13 to 19, followed by a series of ATP Challenger 100 tournaments in Chennai, Bahrain, New Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru in the coming weeks.
