Philippine women’s tennis is clearly heading toward a bright future, and it’s not just because of Alex Eala.
Eighteen-year-old Tennielle Madis and 17-year-old Steffi Aludo delivered the biggest shocker so far in women’s tennis at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, upsetting third seeds Thasaporn Naklo and Patcharin Cheapchandej in the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles on Tuesday.
The young Filipina standouts, both unranked on the WTA tour, were clear underdogs against the experienced Thai pair.
Naklo, ranked 354th in doubles, was seeking a bounce-back after losing in straight sets to Eala earlier in the women’s singles event.
Cheapchandej, the 2021 SEA Games women’s doubles gold medalist, is ranked 533rd in the world.
But Madis and Aludo showed no fear.
The duo jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set.
The 24-year-old Naklo and 31-year-old Cheapchandej fought back to tie it at 4-4, yet the Filipinas held their composure, winning the next two games to take the first set.
That set the tone for the second, as Madis and Aludo dominated from a 2-2 deadlock to shut out the Thais and claim the set, 6-2.
The duo had already shown signs of their sharp form in the Round of 16, where they dismantled Vietnam’s Thuy Tran and Hong Hanh Ngo in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, on Sunday.
Now, the Filipina teens advance to the semifinals, where they will face top seeds Adila Sutjiadi and Janice Tjen of Indonesia for a chance to reach the finals.
Sutjiadi and Tjen were tested in their quarterfinal match, edging out unseeded Singaporeans Sue Yan Tan and Eva Desvignes, 6-1, 4-6, 10-6.
