Tuttle, Woo survive first round of mixed-up doubles

Mihoko Tuttle hits a low ball, while teammate Ji Min Woo looks on during a warm-up before their Round of 16 match against Grace Choi and Robbie Schorr in the mixed-up doubles event of the 2016 White Coconut Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Paciific Islands Club hard courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The tandem of Mihoko Tuttle and Ji Min Woo was among the pairs that made the grade in the opening round of the mixed-up doubles event in the 2016 White Coconut Tennis Classic.

Mihoko and Woo were at the bottom of the 32-team draw and advanced to the Round of 16 following a 6-4, 7-5 win against Tommy Choi and Andy Jung last Saturday at the at the Pacific Islands Club hard court.

Joining Woo and Mihoko to the next round were the teams of Carol Lee and the latter’s daughter Ericka, Colim Ramsey and Rei Sekiguchi, Robbie Schorr and Grace Choi, Dylan Ackerman and Seung Jin Paik, Martin Jambor and Conatsu Kaga, Marivic Rosario and Sean Lee, and Tony Kim and Coume Kaga.

Coume and Tony marched into the Round of 16 after eliminating Michael Ren and Sam Ryu, 6-0, 6-2, while Rosario and Sean Lee advanced following a 6-2, 6-2 victory against the duo of Steven Goodwin and Rintaro Miyawaki.

Jambor and Conatsu also recorded similar 6-2, 6-2 triumphs over the pair of Ryan Cho and Anthony Gregoire to set up a Round of 16 date against Ackerman and Paik, who swept Randy Steele and Maaya Sato, 6-0, 6-3. Schorr and Grace also took only two sets to beat Reo Arriola and S.W. Lee, 6-3, 6-2, and arrange a meeting against Mihoko and Woo.

The other pairing at the bottom half of the draw will have Ramsey and Rei battling Carol and Erick after they topped Dun Dunlop and Go Sekiguchi, 6-4, 6-2, and Isabel heras and M.J. Cho, 6-1, 6-2, respectively.

At the top half of the draw, the Round of 16 qualifiers were Asia Raulerson and Moris Villanueva, Gary Ramsey and Maria Gregoire, Ryan Cho and Daniel Kang, Alex Martin and Jeffrey Seo, Peter Loken and Eugene Park, Vicent Tudela and Ryu, Jim Tuttle and Riko Ojima, and Jeff Race and Allan Lee.

Race and Lee won over Bobby Cruz and Thaileena Raulerson, 6-4, 6-3; Jim and Riko topped Malika Miyawaki and Annie Camacho, 6-1, 6-2; Loken and Park defeated Lydia Tan and Yae Jin Son, 6-3, 6-0; Martin and Seo slipped past Ken Song and Sean Sablan, 5-7, 7-6, 10-5; Ryan and Kang swept A.J. Hudkins and Randy Steele, 6-2, 6-1; Gary and Maria prevailed over Mimi Sakano and M. Ryu, 6-1, 6-1; Tudela and Sam beat Fr. Ryan Jimenez and JC Ferrer, 6-1, 6-1; and Asia and Villanueva triumphed over Eric Abragan and Hyun Jin Joo, 6-2, 6-1.

Action in the mixed-up doubles and the singles event will continue this weekend.