Filipina rising star Tenny Madis ahead of the Philippine Women's Open. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATED) – Filipina rising star Tenny Madis put up a gallant stand against Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Monday in the Philippine Women's Open.
The 18-year-old managed to keep in step with Sawangkaew in the first set, getting the 2-0 advantage early in the match.
But the Thai player stormed back to level the score 2-2, before overtaking the young Filipina in the first set, 2-4.
Madis did not go down without a fight, holding serve and capitalizing on the errors of her opponent to go back to square one, 4-4.
The WTA No. 197 ranked player leaned on her experience to put away the Filipina player and take the opening set, 6-4.
READ: Tenny Madis excited to make WTA 125 debut in PH Women's Open
In the second set, Madis eventually lost steam and was unable to match her performance in the first set, allowing Sawangkaew to close out the match, 6-0.
With the loss, Madis is the second Filipina player to bow out of the singles main draw.
Earlier, UAAP champion Elizabeth Abarquez fell to Mai Hontama of Japan, 6-0, 6-0.
Former UAAP MVP Kaye Ann Emana will face Russia's Tatiana Prozorova on Tuesday, January 27.
Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee pulled off the meet's first upset, stunning Swiss No. 7 seed Simona Waltert 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a marathon match lasting two hours and 10 minutes.
On the other hand, No. 5 seed Camila Osorio of Colombia survived upset-conscious and top Japanese qualifier Sakura Hosogi 6-4, 6-3.
Ukraine's Yuliia Staradoubtseva dumped Thailand's Peangtarn Plipuech 6-0, 6-4 to likewise enter the next round of the competition.
In doubles, two Filipina pairs put up a valiant effort but crashed out of the Round of 16.
The tandem of Nicole Fossa Huergo and Darja Semenistaja beat Kaye Ann Emana and Justine Hannah Maneja of the University of Santo Tomas, 6-2, 6-2
Yu Yun Li and Sara Saito defeated the Filipina pair of Angeline Alcala and Joanna Peña, 6-0, 6-1.
The Taiwanese squad of Cho I-hsuan and Cho Yi-tsen also won over Argentine Solana Sierra and Chinese Zhu Lin 6-2, 6-3, 10-4.
Abarquez will still play in doubles with fellow National University player Rovie Baulete, while Madis will likewise team up with Philippine Tennis Academy compatriot Stefi Aludo.