[Cambodia] Peperzeel picks up prized scalp of third seed Sekiguchi

[News_Editor]

Australian right-hander Gavin Van Peperzeel knocked out third-seeded Shuichi Sekiguchi of Japan 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Cambodian $10,000 ITF Futures event for the Ford Cup at the National Training Center yesterday.

A product of the National Academy in Brisbane, the 21-year-old Peperzeel stayed solid on his ground strokes to often put Sekiguchi out of step.

The top two seeds Tsung Hua Yang of Taiwan and Hiroki Kondo of Japan, however, had a relatively easy time in the second round.

Yang, who came through a tense three setter against qualifier from South Korea Soon Jae Cho on Tuesday, had a firm grip from get go against Indonesia’s Christopher Rungkat.

The top seed took the first set 6-2 but was made to work a little harder in the second before polishing it off at 6-4.

In an all Japanese affair, Hiroki Konda controlled the pace all the way to post a 6-2, 6-3 win in under an hour against Arata Onozawa.

Following on his long drawn out first round encounter against Katsushi Fukuda, Spain’s Oscar Hernandez Perez took Britain’s Harry Meehan in his stride to make the quarter-finals.

The 35-year-old Spaniard, who broke out of nearly three years of competitive wilderness a couple of months ago, staged a gritty rally after losing the first set.

He seemingly grew in confidence as the match progressed and dominated his British rival once he found his range and rhythm.

Thailand youngster Wishaya Trongcharoeunchaikul, who had scored an upset first round win over fourth seeded Robin Kern of Germany, lost a fiercely fought battle against South Korea's Dylan Seong-kwan, who played the pressure points better than his tall rival to register a 7-5, 7-6.victory.

One of Thailand’s leading names, Danai Udomchoke, was never off the bit as he forced South Korea’s Min Kyu Song to do plenty of leg work. The winner of the first-ever Cambodian Futures in 2011, the seventh seeded Udomchoke will run into Yang for a place in the semi-finals.

Andrew Whittington of Australia, whose doubles partner Peperzeel was the day’s star attraction, wrapped up his second round against Byung Kook Kang of Korea in quick time for the loss of just two games after reeling off the first six games to take the opening set to love.

Eighth seeded Ivo Klec of Slovakia became the first player to retire from the contest. After edging out his rival Mico Santiago of the United States in a tense first set tie-break, the Slovak was totally outgunned in the second which Santiago won without conceding a game. Building on that Momentum, Santiago shot into a 3-0 third set lead when Klec cried a halt.

The following are today’s quarter-final pairings.

Tsung Hua Yang (Taiwan) vs Danai Udomchoke, Andrew Whittington vs Dylan Seong Kwan Kim, Mico Santiago vs Gavin Van Peperzeel, Oscar Hernandez Perez vs Hiroki Hondo.

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