Cebuano netters Jan Godfrey “Noynoy” Seno and Arthur Craig “Igi” Diaz Pantino had contrasting fates in yesterday’s continuation of the second phase of the Ajay Pathak Memorial Cup ITF 14-Under Developmental Championship held at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.
While the Bogo Government-supported Seno advanced to the next round of both the singles and doubles event of the main draw, Pantino dropped out after losing his second round assignment.
Seno grabbed a quarterfinal ticket in the main draw after dismissing Vietnam’s Nguyen Mau Binh Kuang, 4-6, 7-6, 7-5, in his second-round assignment yesterday. He will next face India’s Somali Parkshik in the quarterfinal round today.
Yesterday was Seno’s second straight three-set match as he also survived a four-hour, three-set first round match the other day against Uzbekistan’s Azizhon Turgonov, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
“I’m doing good with God’s blessings. They told me to keep hydrated so I drink lots and lots of water,” Seno said.
The rising netter proved that he indeed can cope as he teamed with Philippine Under 14 no.1 Albert Lim Jr. to dismiss the Chinese pair of Wu Yibing and Zhang Changli, 6-3, 6-1, in the quarterfinal round of the doubles event.
In the semifinal round, the duo will go up against the winner between India and China, which was ongoing as of presstime.
Pantino, on the other hand, bowed out of the main draw after succumbing to India’s no.1 Singha Nitin Kumar, 1-6, 1-3, in the second round.
He advanced in the second round after dismissing Uzbekistan’s Kaschenko Andre, 6-0, 6-2.
The 11-year-old netter still has a chance to finish between the 10th to 16th position as he now plays in the Consolation/Losers bracket. He will be facing Thailand’s no.1 netter in today’s first round in the bracket. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON