Jones, Cruz gain in Pathak-ITF meet

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-British Meredith Jones and Monica Therese Cruz downed their respective rivals to breeze through the second round of the Ajay Pathak Memorial Cup/ITF 14-Under Developmental Championship Division I Week 2 at the Rizal Tennis Center yesterday.

The eighth-seeded Jones, 14, walloped Yulla Kim of Uzbekistan, 6-3, 6-0, while Cruz, 13, smashed Phuong Nguyen Thu, 6-3, 6-1, in victories that made up for the losses of the other Filipina campaigners in the event sponsored by the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund and the Philippine Tennis Academy.

Jones, foiled in the quarters by Korean Jang Eunse, 1-6, 2-6, in last week’s first leg of the event held in honor of the late Philta and ITF official Ajay Pathak, will next face Korean Park Mijeong, who trounced Hong Kong’s Lam Wing Kiu, 6-3, 6-1.

Cruz, on the other hand, clashes with fifth pick Mihika Yadav of India, 6-1, 6-1.

Meanwhile, Rafaela Jean Villanueva, Janelle Carmela Llavore and Chrisyn Coleen Sioson dropped their respective matches and bowed out of the tournament backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Technifibre Balls, Wilkins, Mariposa Foundation, Cebuana Lhuillier, Chowking and Trans-Asia Corp.

Villanueva, daughter of Philta vice president and Davis Cup administrator Randy, dragged Leila Azimova of Kyrgyzhtan to a deciding third set but lost steam, 4-6, 6-2, 2-6.

India’s Sruta Kirti Gunuganti overpowered Llavore 6-0, 6-1, while Iran’s Sadaf Vaziri Sadegh held off Sioson, 6-4, 6-4.

Boys’ top seed and Week One winner Alberto Lim, Jr. drew a first round bye and will take on the winner between China’s Jiang Xingsheng and Vietnam’s Nguyen Dac Tien.

The 13-year-old Lim, who swept both the singles and doubles titles last week, vow to re-assert his might against practically the same field.

“Coach (Manny Tecson) told me that we’re not here to gain experience but to win so I’m going all out to win,” said Lim.