CEBUANO junior netter Arthur Craig “Iggy” Pantino bowed out of the PSC-Phinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 after absorbing a lopsided semifinal round loss to Yeongseok Jeong 3-6, 2-6 yesterday at Manila Polo Club in Makati City.
The 14-year-old Pantino was on a roll in the opening week of the tournament beating C. Wang of Chinese Taipei 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Phuong Van Nguyen of Vietnam, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 and compatriot Bryan Otico, 6-4, 6-4 to advance into the semifinals.
In girls action, Khim Iglupas moved a win away from the crown after upsetting world No.132 Ayumi Miyamoto of Japan, 7-5, 6-2 in the semifinals.
Iglupas will face China’s Wang Xin Yu in the final round today. The Chinese defeated Satoko Sueno in the semis, 6-0, 6-1.