By Jean Malanum

EYES ON THE BALL. Filipino Tenielle Madis prepares for a double-backhand return during the Coca-Cola PHILTA International Juniors 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Dec. 5, 2024. Madis reached the second round in the singles and the quarterfinals in the doubles of the ongoing J100 Dubai event in the United Arab Emirates. (Contributed photo)

MANILA – Philippine Tennis Academy player Tennielle Madis rallied past qualifier Emira Diabate of Cote D’Ivoire, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the second round of the ongoing J100 Dubai event, the second leg of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in the United Arab Emirates.

She will next face wild card Alina Yuneva of Russia, who prevailed over Lila Grace Bachour of France, 7-6 (9), 6-3.

Top-ranked Vlada Guryleva of Russia demolished wild card Aynaz Davari Dolatabadi, 6-0, 6-0, while No. 2 Pavia Svilerova of the Czech Republic outplayed Teodora Miron of Romania, 6-3, 6-4, to also secure second-round berths.

Meanwhile, Vera Khrushchyk of Russia ousted No. 4 Yasaman Yazdani of Iran, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Ophelia Korpanec Davies of Great Britain stunned No. 5 Veronika Sekerkova of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-1; and Ui Su Jeong of South Korea eliminated No. 8 Margaret Sohns of USA, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the next round.

Also advancing were No. 6 Arina Malygina of Russia, who struggled past Diya Ramesh of India, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, and No. 7 Sophie Bekker of Great Britain, who whipped wild card Callista Uchil of India, 6-0, 6-1.

In the doubles category, top seeds Madis and Guryleva downed Khrushchyk and Yazdani, 6-2, 6-2, to arrange a quarterfinal duel with Alina Botasheva and Anastasia Efremova of Russia, who beat Yuneva and Malygina, 6-2, 6-4.

Also marching to the quarterfinals were third seeds Alena Kharchenko and Alisa Terentyeva of Russia; Lean Baroudi of Syria and Leyna Bey of France; Maria Andreu Portselan of Cyprus and Justyna Anna Strykova of the Czech Republic; Olivia Cela of Poland and Ramesh; Vittoria Vignoli of Italy and Bachour; and Sophia Budacsek and Sohns.

Madis lost in the singles quarterfinals but claimed victory in the doubles with Jeong in the first leg in Fujairah last week.

The 17-year-old native of M’lang, North Cotabato reached a career-high No. 207 in the ITF Juniors rankings on Jan. 5 after winning six singles and five doubles titles last year.

She won the doubles with PTA teammate Stefi Marithe Aludo in the J60 events in Manila, China, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. (PNA)