Rivera, Santiago pull thru in int’l junior tennis

MANILA, Philippines – Shaira Rivera battled back from a set down to foil Kanon Yasumoto, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, while Frances Santiago dominated Tameka Peterson in Day 2 of the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The 17-year-old Rivera recovered from an erratic first set performance with a strong showing in the next then completely dominated her Japanese rival in the decider to fashion out the win and stay in the hunt in the Grade 4 ITF 18-under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies.

Rivera lost to eventual champion Lee Kuan Yi of Taiwan in the quarters, but vowed to better her previous showing although she is set to face Lee again in the next round.

Santiago, meanwhile, eased past the Florida-based Peterson, 6-4, 6-1, and will next face No. 6 Li Xuanjin of China, who downed American Skyler Holm, 6-2, 6-1.

Filipinas who took the early exit were  Monica Cruz, to Japanese Rika Tanaka, 0-6, 1-6; Janelle Llavore to Taiwanese Chao-Yi Wang, 2-6, 2-6; Rafaella Villanueva to American Jordan Harris 1-6, 2-6;  and Gennifer Pagente to Jing Jing Yang of China, 2-6, 1-6.