PH netter Alcantara marches into doubles semis in Thailand

The Filipino-Japanese tandem will be up against Thai wild cards Patcharapol Kawin and Jirat Navasirisomboon, who won over Australians Darren Polkinghorne and Calum Puttergill, 4-6, 6-1 (10-6). (ITF website, PNA)

MANILA, Aug. 3— Filipino Francis Casey Alcantara and Japanese Yuichi Ito rolled into the semifinal round of the men’s doubles category of the USD15,000 Thailand F4 tennis tournament in Nonthaburi on Thursday.

The top-ranked pair of Alcantara and Ito scored a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Thai Pruchya Isaro and Japanese Issei Okamura in their quarterfinal match at the National Tennis Center outdoor hard court, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The Filipino-Japanese tandem will be up against Thai wild cards Patcharapol Kawin and Jirat Navasirisomboon, who won over Australians Darren Polkinghorne and Calum Puttergill, 4-6, 6-1 (10-6).

Also booking semifinal berths were second seeds Justin Barki of Indonesia and Kittiphong Wachiramanowong of Thailand.

Barki and Wachiramanowong outplayed compatriots Pattanapong Borisutpong and Vorachon Rakpuangchon, 7-6 (4), 6-2, to arrange a semifinal showdown with Hong Kong’s Hong Kit Wong and Pak Long Yeung.

Wong and Leung advanced into the next round after pulling off a 7-6 (3), 6-1 upset victory over fourth seeds Sang-Woo Noh of Korea and David Agung Susanto of Indonesia.

Alcantara has improved his world’s rankings to No. 369 after winning four doubles titles this year. He will banner the men’s squad in the Southeast Asian Games scheduled on Aug. 19-30 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The other members of the men’s team are US-based Ruben Gonzales Jr., Jeson Patrombon, and Alberto Lim Jr.

The women’s team is composed of US-based Denise Dy, Filipino-German Katharina Lenhert and homegrown talents Khim Iglupas and Anna Clarice Patrimonio.

Dy is a two-time SEA Games gold medalist in the mixed doubles with fellow US-based Treat Huey. They won in Myanmar in 2011 and Singapore in 2015.

Chris Cuarto will coach the men’s team while Czarina Mae Arevalo will handle the women’s team.