Dy, Alcantara are RP bets in int'l junior tennis championships

MANILA, Philippines – Denise Dy and KC Alcantara are Philippine's best bets in the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer International Juniors Tennis Championships that starts at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on March 24. Tournament director Romy Magat said he expects at least two more local players to qualify on March 22. Magat said that he expects Dy and Alcantara to face a tough field because the best junior players in the world are competing in the tournament. Not since Maricris Fernandez did the trick in 1997 had there been a Filipino player to emerge champion in the meet that produced some of the top netters in the world today. "Mabigat ang laban ngayon," Magat admitted at the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum, held on Tuesday at the Shakey's UN Avenue branch in Manila. "We're eyeing six players in the main draw but only a maximum of two to reach the higher level." Mitsubishi official Arlan Reyes also attended the forum. Dy was silver medal winner in the 24th Thailand Southeast Asian Games last year, while Alcantara was Asian junior tennis champion when he was 14 years old. Of the two, Alcantara sees Dy as having a better chance of getting a shot at the title. "Siya lang ang pag-asa natin. Last year kasi nandoon na siya, kaya baka ngayon puwede siyang maka-final," Alcantara said. A total of 68 boys and 68 girls have already entered in the main draw of the tournament, which has been the breeding ground of star players Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, American Andy Roddick, and Leander Paz of India. "We're very proud that for the past 19 years, the Mitsubishi Lancer International Juniors Tennis Championships is considered the grassroots of upcoming tennis superstars," Reyes said. - GMANews.TV