Hosogi dominates home bet to seal Philippine Women's Open main draw slot

MANILA, Philippines — Top-seeded Sakura Hosogi of Japan lived up to her lofty billing Sunday by making short work of home bet Stefi Aludo, 6-1, 6-2, in the qualifying finals to net a main draw ticket in the Philippine Women's Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Hosogi, WTA No. 298, needed only 64 minutes to dispatch the WTA unranked Filipina (ITF No. 842) at center court before a sizeable local crowd getting ready for the main draw action starring Alex Eala on Monday.

Two Filipinas in Angeline Alcala and Louraine Jallorina were also eliminated in Day 1 of the qualifying draw, leaving Eala, Tenny Madis, Kaye Ann Emana and Elizabeth Abarquez as the only local bets flying the flag high in the 32-player main draw.

"I was nervous but I am also happy to make it to the main draw of the Philippine Women's Open in my first WTA tournament," said the Matsue, Japan native who earns a shot at No. 5 seed and WTA No. 84 Camila Osorio of Colombia in the Round of 32.

For Aludo, it’s a learning curve as she looks to climb the ITF ranks like Eala before turning pro.

"I had nothing to lose. Binago ko rin yung laro ko pero wala ring akong magawa. I varied my shots pero magaling talaga po yung Japanese. But I learned a lot from her. Next time I needed to be more focused on my game and not be intimidated," added Aludo, a bronze medalist in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand last month.

Aludo, 17, swept compatriot Alcala in Day 1, 6-1, 6-0, while Jallorina absorbed a 6-0, 6-1 beating from No. 7 seed Pengtarn Plipuech of Thailand in only 49 minutes of play.

Plipuech, WTA No. 824, went on to clinch the second main draw ticket by stunning the second-seeded and WTA No. 306 Rina Saigo of Japan, 6-2, 6-3. She will face WTA No. 110 Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine in Round 1 of the main draw.

Third-seeded Viktoria Morvayova (WTA No. 351) of Slovakia then drubbed No.5 seed Nicole Fossa Huergo (WTA No. 400) of Argentina, 7-5, 6-3, while No. 4 seed Miho Kuramochi (WTA No. 364) blanked sixth-seeded Filipina-American Mia Horvit (WTA No. 711) of the United States, 6-2, 6-1, to secure the last two main draw tickets.

Morvayova will face WTA No. 143 Sofia Costoulas of Belgium while Kuramochi will tussle against WTA No. 150 Polina Kudermetova of Uzbekistan in Round 1.

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