UNSEEDED Juan Los Santos continued his impressive form in the National Circuit third leg by reaching the men’s singles semi-finals at the National Tennis Circuit (NTC) in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday
Las Santos, who is playing in his first tournament since December, created the tournament’s biggest upset when the 18-year-old toppled second seed Abdul Hazli Zainuddin 6-2, 7-5 in the quarter-finals.
The youngster quit tennis rather abruptly after the National Hardcourt Championships last December before accepting former national coach S. Selvarajoo’s offer to return to competitive tennis in this event.
Los Santos, a former top 150 ranked player in the ITF world rankings, is using the tournament to prepare for next month’s Malaysia Games, where he will represent Selangor.
His decent show in the ongoing third leg has caught the eye of many in the tennis fraternity. However, Los Santos needs to focus on his game as he has a big semi-final match against fourth seed Khoo Er Yang tomorrow.
Er Yang, who is coached by former national champion V. Selvam, hammered national champion Syed Agil Syed Naguib 6-1, 6-0.
The Los Santos-and-Er Yang semi-final encounter is expected to be an explosive affair as neither of them has ever made the final of a National circuit event.
“It will be our first meeting. Both of us are playing well here but there can only be one winner tomorrow (today). I hope to give my best,” said Los Santos at NTC.
The other semi-final pits top seed Si Yew Ming and third seed Ahmad Deedat Razak, who both will represent the country in next month’s Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III event in Sri Lanka.
Yew Ming eased past B. Kanagaraj 6-3, 6-0 while Ahmad Deedat edged Ashaari Zainal 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 in their respective quarter-final matches.
Meanwhile, the top two seeds in the women’s singles were sent packing in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Eight seed Alyssa Boey, upset top seed Ti Jia Wei 6-3, 6-3 to set-up a semi-final match against fifth seeded R. Archnaah, who defeated unseeded Nur Eliza Khairul 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
Unseeded players will battle it out in the other semi-finals. Thailand’s Kamonwan Thongsaner overcame second seed Jane Chong 6-2, 6-3 while Tan Jia Yi cruised past third seed Svea Zuber 6-3, 6-3.
