PH netters lose to China
The Philippines' mixed tennis team bowed to Anning-China, 1-3, in their Colorful Yunnan Belt and Road Initiative Kunming International Tennis Tournament semifinals clash in China Friday.
Jeson Patrombon lost the first men's singles to his Chinese opponent, 4-5 (4), 2-4 while Mariane Capadocia won her first women's singles event, 1-4, 4-0, 5-4 to tie the semifinals at 1-all.
However, Patrombon's tandem with Bukidnon's John Bryan Otico lost 1-4, 2-4 in men's doubles for China to take a 2-1 lead.
Former Sta. Ana National High School of Davao City standout Shaira Hope Rivera and Khim Iglupas could have extended the match for another deadlock but their women's doubles pair eventually lost as well.
Coach Czarina Mae Arevalo, in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao, said, "We had a chance, Shaira and Kim were up 3-0 in the second set then nag 3-1 (30-40) merong argument ang China coach vs umpire and referee madami ng bad calls. If nag 2-2 yun, deciding ang mixed doubles anything can happen." Rivera-Iglupas succumbed to their Chinese rivals, 4-2, 4-5 (4).
The team all swept their round robin matches against South Korea, Malaysia and Cambodia in similar 5-0 wins before crushing Vietnam, 3-0, in the quarterfinals.
Arevalo added, "They (players) were very upset but expected naman kasi host team sila and number one seed kasi their players hae WTA and ATP rankings." /