Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi moves into the last eight of the girls’ singles of the 11th Sarawak ATF U14 Series tennis championships after defeating Hong Kong’s Elie Auyantung 4-6, 7-6 (3) 6-4. — Photo by Chai Chang Yu
KUCHING: Malaysia dominated the boys’ singles in the 11th Sarawak ATF Under-14 Series tennis championship at SLTA tennis centre yesterday when they occupied six out of the eight quarterfinal berths.
The tournament top three seeds from Malaysia all made it safely into the last eight after defeating their opponents while Indonesia booked the other two quarterfinal tickets.
Top seed J Koey, the ATF No. 15 player, made short work of Jimmy Liong Kai Long 6-1, 6-1 while second seed Danial Ahmad Farid overcame Indonesia’s Jerall Yasin 7-5, 6-2.
Koey will next face Christian Andre Liew Sheng while Danial will take on Kuching lad Muhammad Aiman Hamdan.
Noor Suhail Sallahudin, the third seed, strolled past Leroy Yong 6-2, 6-1 to set up a last eight clash with sixth seed Neshal Thampillay who ousted Ishan Nair 6-1, 6-0.
Today’s other quarterfinal will be played between fourth seed R Sumiarsa from Indonesia and another Kuching player M Nurhazmi Khaidir after they defeated Mohamad Irzad Shazurin Sulaini 6-3, 6-2 and fifth seed Chieng Shoa Wei 6-4, 6-3 respectively.
In the girls’ singles, there are only three Malaysians left in the quarterfinal stage, with defending champion Elysia Wan facing sixth seed Priska Madelyn Nugroho of Indonesia, her younger sister Elsa Wan who meets Hong Kong’s Angela Sou Wingshan, and second seed Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi taking on seventh seed Brigita Brigita.
Tournament top seed and ATF No. 15 player Skylar Wan of Hong Kong passed her first test when she beat Philippines’ Bea Francesca Acena 6-2, 6-3 and will meet compatriot Lee Hau Yan today after the latter upstaged eighth seed Tan Lin Xin 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in another last 16 match yesterday.
The second seed Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi was made to slog for the last eight by Elie Auyantung of Hong Kong before triumphing 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Meanwhile, only one Indonesian pair is left in the boys’ doubles semi-finals, with fourth seeded R Sumiarsa-Jerall Yasin pitted against second seeds J Koey and Christian Andre Liew Sheng. Sumiarsa-Jerall beat M Nurhazmi Khaidir-Mitchel Brapui Tidan 6-3, 6-1 while Koey-Christian were 3-6, 6-2 (12-10) winners over Muhammad Aiman Hamdan-Nieshaal Thambipillay.
The other semi-final is an all-Malaysian affair where top seeds Danial Ahmad Farid-Noor Suhail Sallahudin will fight Muhammad Faris Abdul Rashid-Mohamad Irzad Shazurin Sulaini for a place in the final. The top seeds eased to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Syed Mohammed Aldros and Nicklaus Laing Thai Sin while Faris-Irzad upset third seeds Aznor Afiq Irfan Azri-M Kamarul Zaman 6-2, 6-4.
The biggest upset of the day came from the girls’ doubles where the unseeded Indonesians Priska Madelyn Nugroho and Z Saputra staged a 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Malaysian top seeds Angeline Ong and Tan Lin Xin in the quarterfinals. They are next up against third seeds Angela Sou Wingshan and Skylar Wan (HK) who beat Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi-Nurul Ain Safiya Mohd ffendi 6-2, 6-1.
In the other quarterfinals yesterday, second seeds Elie Auyantung and Kwok Hong Kiu form Hong Kong brushed past Lau Jie Ying-Brittany Michael Tiang Jing Yu 6-0, 6-2 to meet fourth seeds, the sisters pair of Elsa Wan and Elysia Wan in the last four.
Elsa and Elysia secured their semi-final spot after overcoming Hong Kong’s Law Wing Yin and Lee Hau Yan 6-4, 6-2.
All matches today will start at 9am.
Ends with 1pic: kch-bp030915-tth-tenATFU14
Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi moves into the last eight of the girls’ singles of the 11th Sarawak ATF U14 Series tennis championships after defeating Hong Kong’s Elie Auyantung 4-6, 7-6 (3) 6-4. — Photo by Chai Chang Yu