MANILA, July 21 — Filipino tennis player Francis Casey Alcantara bowed out of the USD25,000 China F13 Futures tournament after losing his singles and doubles matches on Friday.
The 25-year-old Alcantara of Cagayan de Oro City and Indian partner Karunuday Singh failed to advance to the championship round after absorbing a 3-6, 6-3 (5-10) defeat to top seeds Jui-Chen Hung of Chinese-Taipei and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul of Thailand in their semifinal encounter at the Ningxia Stadium in Yinchuan province.
Alcantara was also sent packing in the singles category when he retired while Chinese Zhizhen Zhang was leading 6-3, 4-2.
Alcantara, who has improved his world’s rankings to No. 407 after winning four doubles titles this year, will banner the men’s squad in the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia next month.
Also competing in Malaysia are Ruben Gonzales Jr, Jeson Patrombon and Alberto Lim Jr.
The women’s team is composed of US-based Denise Dy, Filipino-German Katharina Lenhert and homegrown talents Khim Iglupas and Anna Clarice Patrimonio.
Dy is a two-time SEA Games gold medalist in the mixed doubles with fellow US-based Treat Huey. They won in Myanmar (2011) and Singapore (2015).
Chris Cuarto will coach the men’s team while Czarina Mae Arevalo will handle the women’s team. (Jean T. Malanum/PNA)
