Top seeds tumble at Asian School C'ships

JAKARTA (JP): Top seeds tumbled on Friday in the singles individual events of the first Asian School Tennis Championships at the Senayan tennis complex.

Top seeded Pacharapol Khamsaman of Thailand in the boys' singles bowed out to Sunil Kumar Sipaeya of India 3-6, 6-3, 3-6. Sipaeya, who defeated Indonesian Irwan Radjab 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday, will face Mohammad Nazreen Fuzi of Malaysia in Saturday's semifinals. Fuzi won 6-4, 7-5 over China's An Dapeng.

In another semifinal match, second seeded Indonesian Ferza Gautama will meet unseeded Yang Tao of China. Ferza, who received a bye in the first round, defeated Sornsakol Supakit of Thailand 6-1, 6-3.

Yang, who upset fourth seeded Asrhutosh Singh of India 6-4, 6- 1 in the first round, defeated Ahmad Safiq of Malaysia 7-6 (8-6), 7-5.

In the girls' singles, top seeded Chattida Thimjapo of Thailand, ITF junior ranked 133, had to make an early exit after she was upset by China's Fan Na 2-6, 6-7 (1-7).

Fan will face third seeded Angelique Widjaja of Indonesia, who easily eliminated Deepa Chakrabarty of India 6-1, 6-0.

In another semifinal match, second seeded Frederika Girsang reached the semis after sending home China's unseeded Liu Yidan 6-2, 6-2. Frederika, Indonesia's best hope to collect more gold medals, will face Thailand's Khanita Sritawan, who won 6-4, 6-4 over Harsimaran Kaur of India.

In the boys' doubles, top seeded Naharuddin and Prima Simpatiaji still managed to reach the quarterfinals after receiving a bye in the first round. Compatriots Ferza Gautama and Irwan Radjab, fourth seeded in the championships, also received a bye.

Naharuddin and Prima will meet Malaysian pairs Mohamad Azraai Tajudin and Zacaray Tan Tze Xiong, who won 7-6 (7-5), 6-0 over Sanjeer Paramanathan and Roshan Peirs of Sri Lanka.

Second seeded Pacharapol Khamsaman and Sornsakol Supakit of Thailand also received a bye. They will face Malaysians Ahmad Shafiq and Mohamad Nazreen Fuzi, who defeated Dinuka Ranaweera and Eran Weerakon of Sri Lanka 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

In the girls' doubles, Indonesian top seeded Angelique Widjaja and Novianti Warsono and third seeded Frederika Girsang and Mudarwati will start their fight on Saturday after receiving byes in the quarterfinals. (yan)