Heo wins debut in ITF event in Manila

CNMI junior netter Ji Hoon Heo won his debut game in the qualifying round for the 2008 PHINMA/ITF International Junior Tournament 1 Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, Philippines.

Heo downed the host’s Pemrik Alina in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, in the Round of 32 of the qualifying tournament.

Joining Heo in the Round of 16 were Japan’s Kaichi Uchida, the Philippines’ Romar Hernandez, Juan Fidel Regis, Marco Paola Suntay, and Paul Nicole Magaway, Mexico’s Nicolas Riefkohl, Peru’s Michel James Hukwo, China’s Jian-Chong Liang, Ye Yan, and Yuan-Tao Pan, Taipei’s Chin Jen Ho and Jui Mao, Korea’s Sangmin Park, Malaysia’s Jason Michael Lee, and Germany’s Delf Gohlke.

The CNMI netter had to win two more games to make it to the main draw of the ITF event, but was ousted in the next round.

Chinese-Taipei’s Mao foiled Heo’s bid to advance to the main draw when the former posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory over the CNMI bet.

Mao eventually claimed a main draw slot along with three other players who joined the 32-man draw of the qualifier. The list also include Hernandez, Hukwo, and Park.

The ongoing 2008 PHINMA/ITF International Junior Tournament 1 is on its Round of 16, with only Park and Hernandez surviving the tough 32-man main draw.

Completing the main draw’s Round of 16 qualifiers are No. 1 seed Francis Casey Alcantara, Leander Lazaro, Jeson Patrombon, and Joshua Ho of the Philippines, Korea’s Hong Chung, Jung-Woong Na, and Yong-Jae Kwon Croatia’s Josip Mesin, China’s Bai Dong Du and Jian-Chong Liang, Japan’s Ryoto Tachi and Motoaki Kita, Egypt’s Omar Elkheshen, and Malaysia’s Christian Oliver Lee.

While the remaining 16 players are battling for the championship, Heo and the rest of those who were eliminated in the qualifier will be preparing for the Tournament 2, which will be held at the same venue next week.

Again, Heo needs to win three matches to make it to the main draw.

The CNMI netter left Saipan for the Philippines Friday morning and the tournament in Manila was his first since competing in Japan in September.

When he returned on Saipan early September, Heo spent a few weeks resting his injured ankles. He did not play a single tournament here and instead resorted to playing several pickup games with CNMI coach Jeff Race, Nicolas and a former colleagiate player.

Heo is still playing hurt wearing braces on both ankles while playing in the Philippines. He sustained the injury while competing in New Caledonia in July and aggravated it in August during the 2008 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji.