Uzbekistan, Hong Kong play in today’s semis

KUCHI NG : D a rk h o r s e Uzbekistan continued their good run in the Junior Davis Cup Asian Oceania Final Qualifying at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association Tennis Centre yesterday when they blanked Philippines 2- 0 in the quarterfinals yesterday.

They were the only team to advance to the last four without being stretched to play the rubber.

Azizbek Dadabaev delivered his team’s first point when he tamed Jose Antonio Tria 6- 3, 6-7( 3), 62 while Olimjon Nabiev had no problem in disposing of Michael Francis II Eala in straight sets of 6- 3, 6-1.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong sprung a surprise when they edged fourth seeds South Korea 2-1. Coleman Wong Chak Lam had put his team ahead when he bounced back from one set down to beat Park Jungwon 2- 6, 6- 4, 7- 6( 5) but Kim Dong Ju levelled the score for the Koreans by defeating Tim Thomas Gauntlett 6-1, 6- 0.

Tim- Lam Chun scored Hong Kong’s the winning point in a 76( 3), 6-2 victory over Kim-Park in the doubles.

In the other quarterfinal matches, Australia eliminated China 2-1 while Japan edged India 2-1.

Today’s semi- finals will see Japan taking on Austral ia whi le Hong Kong wi l l play Uzbekistan.

In the play- offs for ninth to 16th placing, Indonesia edged Pacific Oceania 2-1, New Zealand beat Pakistan 2-1, Thailand emerged 3- 0 winners over Singapore while Chinese Taipei beat Kazakhstan 2-1.