PANTINO
CEBUANO netter Arthur Craig Pantino was unable to complete his run for the title as he bowed to top-ranked Ye Cong Mo of China, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, in the final round of the Junior Vietnam Open sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) over the weekend at the Phu Tho Tennis Club in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Pantino, who missed two ITF tournaments in Bangkok last month, was back on his tip-top shape as he pulled off victories over Quang Hein Pham, 6-2, 6-3; Yan Chen (WO); Quang Vinh, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3; and Tomoya Ikeda, 6-4, 6-1, to book his first finals appearance in an ITF competition.
The former University of San Carlos (USC) stalwart looked lost in the early goings of the finals but managed to get into rhythm as he forced a deciding third set after a hard-fought 7-5 victory against his Chinese counterpart.
The 16-year-old Pantino seemed to have lost steam in the third as he was unable to contain the strong forehands and crisp backhands of Cong Mo, who took the crown after a lopsided 6-2 triumph in the final set.
Despite the loss, his finals appearance will likely be enough to put him at the top spot of the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) rankings for the fourth straight month since most of his Filipino counterparts did not compete in international tournaments last July.
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