ALCANTARA, VERBEEK CREDIT ‘GOOD VIBES’ IN SECOND DOUBLES ITF FUTURES CROWN
Top Filipino player Francis Casey Alcantara and Dutch partner Sem Verbeek credited their “good vibes” as they captured their second straight doubles ITF Futures title Saturday in Singapore.
The 25-year-old Alcantara, top bet for the gold in the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in both singles and doubles, said his partnership with the 6-foot-2 Verbeek clicked “because we are always positive during matches.”
Together they won the Sin- gapore F1 and F2 and will be top favorites to capture F3 this weekend.
“I’m hoping this will continue and I gain enough training and experience here,” added Alcantara, who in 2009 won the juniors doubles title in Australian Open.
National coach Karl Santamaria said Alcantara would be a top bet in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in August.
However, Santamaria rued the fact that Alcantara was not receiving support from the Philippine Tennis Association and the Philippine Sports Com- mission.
“Together with Treat (Huey), we have a solid chance at gold in the SEA Games,” added Santamaria referring to Huey who is now playing in the French Open.
Alcantara and Verbeek defeated separate Japanese duos to string up the victories.
They disposed of Hiroyasu Ehara and Sho Katayama, 6-3, 6-2, for the F1 title.
Seeded fourth in F2, Alcantara and Verbeek bested fourth seeds Soichiro Moritani and Masato Shiga, 6-3, 6-4, for the championship.