Malaysia’s Takeshi Koey Jian Keong and Christian Andre Liew Sheng touching base, but lost 4-6, 1-6 to Sumiarsa Sukma Ramadhan-Jerall Yasin of Indonesia in the boys’ semi-finals. — Photos by Chai Chang Yu
KUCHING: Malaysia are assured of tickets in the boys’ and girls’ singles finals when three boys and two girls advanced to the last four of the 11th Sarawak ATF 14 and Under Series tennis championships at SLTA Tennis Centre yesterday.
The boys’ singles top seed and ATF No. 21 player Takeshi Koey Jian Keong cruised into the semi-finals when he beat Christian Andre Liew Sheng 6-1, 6-0 and he will next face Indonesian sole survivor Sumiarsa Sukma Ramadhan who breezed past local boy M Nurhazmi Khaidir 6-1, 6-0.
Second seeded Danial Ahmad Farid, who is ATF No. 26, disposed of Kuching lad Muhammad Aiman Hamdan 6-4, 6-4 and will meet Noor Suhail Sallahudin who defeated Neshaal Thambipillay 6-2, 6-3 in the other quarterfinal.
In the girls’ singles quarterfinals, top seed Skylar Wan from Hong Kong registered her second straight win when she beat compatriot Lee Hau Yan 6-1, 6-2.
The ATF No. 15 player will play sixth seed Priska Madelyn Nugroho of Indonesia after the latter sent defending champion and third seed Elysia Wan packing 6-2, 6-3.
While Elysia failed to progress further, her younger sister Elsa made it to the last four of the competition after she saw off the challenge from Hong Kong’s Angela Sou Wingshan 6-2, 6-1.
Elsa will have a tough time against second seed Nil Farah Fahrol Rodzi who laboured for a three-set win over seventh seed Brigita Brigita from Indonesia. Brigita took the first set 6-4 but Nil Farah recovered to win the next two at 6-4, 7-5.
The boys’ doubles final will be a Malaysia-Indonesia showdown between top seeds Danial Ahmad Farid-Noor Suhail Sallahudin and Sumiarsa Sukma Ramadhan-Jerall Yasin.
Danial and Noor, who are the top seeds, faced little difficulty in showing unseeded pair Muhammad Faris Abdul Rashid-Mohamed Irzad Shazumi Sulaini the exit 6-0, 6-3 while fourth seeds Sumiarsa-Jerall upstaged second seeds Takeshi Koey Jian Keong and Christian Andre Liew Sheng 6-4, 6-1.
The Hong Kong pair of Angela Sou Wingshan and Skylar Wan kept their winning momentum going as they fought their way into the girls’ doubles final, dumping Indonesians Priska Madelyn Nugroho and Z Saputra 6-2, 5-7 (10-3) in yesterday’s semi-finals.
They will now face Elysia Wan and Elsa Wan in the final showdown after the sisters demolished Hong Kong opposition Elie Auyantung and Kwok Hong Kiu, the second seeds, 6-2, 6-2 in the other semi-final.