Filipinas get boot at start of Philippine Women's Open

MANILA, Philippines — A bevy of Filipina wildcards fell in Day 1 of the Philippine Women's Open, getting outclassed by superior foreign counterparts in both the singles and doubles play at the refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Monday.

UAAP ace Elizabeth Abarquez of National University absorbed a double bagel against the 26-year-old Mai Hontama of Japan, 6-0, 6-0, in the singles for a flat start to the campaign of home bets expected to be carried by world sensation and WTA No. 49 Alex Eala in the main event at press time.

The unranked Abarquez, whose wildcard ticket was upgraded from the qualifying to the main draw, crashed out of play in only 44 minutes of play.

"More practice pa po kasi medyo mabagal pa ako sa court. Okay naman palo pero medyo mabagal pa ako," said Abarquez.

Hontama, WTA No. 244, was unforgiving right from the get-go to quash any upset bid from the neophyte Filipina, who was buoyed by a roaring crowd.

The 26-year-old Japanese is a holder of four ITF titles with a a career-high WTA ranking of No. 107 and stints in the second round of the US Open and French Open.

Abarquez was given a wildcard after reaching the finals of the pre-qualifiers last week, bowing to compatriot and UAAP MVP Kaye Ann Emana of University of Santo Tomas, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, at the same venue.

Emana, with partner and fellow Tigress Justin Maneja, also bowed out of contention in the doubles play after a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to the fourth-seeded pair of Argentina's Nicole Fossa Huergo and Latvia's Darja Semenistaja in only 54 minutes.

It's the same fate for the tandem of Angeline Alcala and Joanna Pena with a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Chinese Taipei's Yu-Yun Li and Japan's Sara Saito in 44 minutes.

Emana will try to make up for it in her singles stint. But it will also be a tall order Tuesday against Russia's Tatiana Prozorova, WTA No. 174.

Meanwhile, Tenny Madis, the country’s second-ranked tennister just behind Eala, also exited Monday after a 6-4, 6-0 defeat to WTA No. 197 Manangchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand.

Inspired by a mammoth crowd at centercourt as a primer to Eala’a duel, Madis raced to a 2-0 start, only to win just two games the rest of the way.

In doubles, Abarquez and NU teammate Rovie Baulete go up against Japan's Hiroko Kuwata and China's Qiu Yu We while Madis and Stefi Aludo clash against the Japanese pair of Mana Ayukawa and Kanako Morisaki also Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee, WTA No. 131, netted the opener's biggest win thus far after stunning No. 7 seed and WTA No. 87 Simona Waltert of Switzerland, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

WTA No. 110 Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine then scored a 6-0, 6-4 sweep of qualifier Pengtarn Plipuech of Thailand, who beat Filipina Louraine Jallorina, 6-0, 6-1, in the qualifying draw to march on to the main tournament but to no avail.

No. 5 seed and WTA No. 84 Camila Osorio of Colombia also made short work of qualifier and WTA No. 298 Sakura Hosogi of Japan, 6-4, 6-3. Hosogi eliminated home bet Aludo in the qualifying final, 6-1, 6-2.

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