Mitsui, Garland battle on as more seeds fall at CM Cup

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Shunsuke Mitsui returns a shot to his opponent in the boys singles third round match at SLTA Tennis Centre yesterday. The Japanese lad beat China’s Zhang Yu 6-3, 6-2. — Photos by Teo Chi Wei

KUCHING: More seeded players were shown the exit on the third day of the ITF World Tennis Tour J1-33rd Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup (I) at the SLTA Tennis Centre yesterday.

In the boys singles third round, the third seed Stijn Pel of the Netherlands was sent packing 7-6(0), 6-1 by 16th seed Ryoma Matsushita of Japan.

Ryoma will next face China’s Zheng Baoluo who came back from one set down 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 to oust 11th seed from Great Britain Blu Baker.

Also out of contention is fifth seed Lodewjk Westrate of Netherlands who fell 5-7, 5-7 to 12th seed Andrew Paulson of Czech Republic.

Paulson’s next opponent is fourth seed Dane Sweeny after the Aussie lad defeated 15th seed Arthur Craig Pantino of the Philippines.

Japan’s Shunsuke Mitsui, seeded No.2, is the highest seed remaining in the competition as top seed Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune crashed out in the second round on Wednesday.

The giant-killer from Singapore Ethan Lye Kai Xin failed to make further progress as he lost 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 to American challenger Adam Neff whose quarterfinals opponent is eight seed Kevin Cahoud of Sweden.

Shunsuke is to play against China’s Wang Xiaofei who upstaged seventh seed Thantub Suksamarn of Thailand 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Paulson and Rune still have something to play for as they advanced into the boys doubles semifinals after the top seeds tamed seventh seeds Ken Cavrak and Dong Chen of Australia 6-7(7), 6-3 (11-9). Meeting them in the last four are eighth seeds Blu Baker and Adam Neff who beat Alex Bulte-Hikaru Takeda 6-0, 6-3.

Third seed Christian Lerby and Lodewjk Westrate are in the semi-finals by default and shall play Japanese pair of Kokoro Isomura and Shunsuke Mitsui in today’s other semi-finals.

Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei hits a return to Supapitch Kuearum of Thailand in the third round of the girls singles yesterday. She won 6-3, 6-2.

Meanwhile, girls singles top seed Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei continued with her winning form when she eased past Supapitch Kuearum of Thailand 6-3, 6-2.

She will next play ninth seed Kristyna Lavickova of the Czech Republic who beat Milana Zhabrailova of Russia 6-3, 6-3 in the third round.

Third seed Priska Madelyn Nugroho of Indonesia, fourth seed Annerly Poulus, sixth seed Amber Marshall and seventh seed Wei Sijia were all dumped by their respective opponents.

However, 11th seed Skyler Marie Grace Grishuk booked her last eight ticket after she upstaged Annerly 6-3, 6-2.

The other quarterfinalists are 15th seed Punnin Kovapitukted (Thailand), Yang Ya Yi (Chinese Taipei), Aunchisa Chanta (Thailand), Anatasia Berezov (Australia) and Linda Fruhvirtova (Czech Republic).

Today’s girls doubles quarterfinals will see the only surviving seeded pair of Linda Fruhvirtova and Kristyna Lavickova of Czech Republic taking on the Thai pair Aunchisa Chanta and Supapitch Kuearum.

The other semi-final is between Amber Marshall-Yang Ya Yi and Fatima Ingrid Amartha Keita-Ku Yeon Woo.