By Ariel Clarito
MANILA--The Philippines has assured itself of a big medal haul after progressing in the different events of the 2017 Southeast Asian Games lawn tennis competitions.
Clarice Patrimonio, who earlier pulled off a 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3 win over Beatrice Gumlya of Indonesia in the quarterfinals, continued her giant killing ways in the semifinals when she upset fourth seed Andrea Ka of Cambodia, 7-6, 7-6. She earned for herself a sure silver and a chance for the SEA Games gold 30 years after her own father, PBA legend Alvin Patrimonio, bagged the basketball gold in 1987.
The tandem of Denise Dy and Katharina Lehnert won a nail-biter over Gumlya and Jessy Priskila of Indonesia, 1-6, 6-3, 10-7. Dy and Lehnert thus assured themselves of a bronze. They will go up against the third seeded pair from Thailand in the semifinals.
Dy also earned another bronze in mixed doubles when she teamed up with Ruben Gonzales to beat the Indonesian pair of Sutjiadi Aldila and Sunu Trijati, 7-5, 7-6 (11-9).
Gonzales is also guaranteed a bronze in the men's doubles.
He and partner Francis Alcantara won on Wednesday versus Trijati and Aditya Sasongko of Indonesia with the score of 7-6, 6-3.
Gonzales, the 276th ranked doubles player in the world, and Alcantara, ranked 367th in doubles, will be the favorites in their semifinals match versus Kittipong Wachiramanomong (ATP ranked 485) and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul (ATP ranked 450) of Thailand.
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