Filipino netter Lim ready for Orange Bowl tournament
By Jean T. Malanum
MANILA, Dec. 6 (PNA) -- Top junior Albert “AJ†Lim Jr. is all set to compete in the prestigious Metropolia Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship in the United States.
The 17-year-old Filipino will face American Vasil Kirkov in the first round of the boys’ singles division on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) at the Frank Veltri Tennis Center in Florida's Plantation Central Park.
Lim, currently the world’s No. 38 junior player, is optimistic on his campaign in the Grade A tournament sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation.
Last week, he reached the quarterfinal round of the Eddie Herr ITF Juniors Championship, a Grade 1 tournament which served as tune-up for most players competing in the Orange Bowl.
“I played pretty well in Eddie Herr, all the work and adjustments in training that we did Philippines worked,†said Lim on Sunday (Monday in Manila) in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
“I think that for the Orange Bowl, nothing is impossible. I just have to stay focused on every point of the match,†added the college freshman at the University of the East in Manila.
Spearheading the tough field in the Orange Bowl competition is world’s No.1 and defending champion Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia, who won the singles and doubles titles in the Eddie Herr tournament.
The Belgrade-born player was runner-up in the Osaka Mayor’s Cup and the US Open Juniors this year.
Before leaving for the US, Lim joined the first leg of the Phinma-PSC International Juniors two weeks ago, reaching the doubles semifinal with Filipino-Spanish Diego Garcia Dalisay.
Lim also took part in the Seogwipo Asia-Oceania Junior Tennis Championships in South Korea from October 31 to November 6 and the Osaka Mayor’s Cup-World Super Junior Tennis Championships from October 17 to 23.
He has competed in the Junior Australian Open, French Open and US Open this year. (PNA)
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