CAGAYAN de Oro City’s ace netter Francis Casey Alcantara will try to extend his winning streak in Thailand as he teams up with a new partner from the host country this time around.
From two successive wins in the past two weeks, the 26-year-old Alcantara guns for another title in the company of Sonchat Ratiwatana in the US$ 15,000 F6 Thailand Futures doubles tournament.
Alcantara’s tandem may sound unfamiliar to the Filipino fans but Ratiwatana is no pushover.
The 36-year-old Ratiwatana is specialized in the doubles and always partnered with his twin brother Sanchai.
The pair of Alcantara and Sonchat debuted against Thailand’s Yuttana Charoenphon and Worovin Kumthonkittikul as of Tuesday, October 09.
If they win, they will take on the Japanese duo of Daisuke Sumizana and Shunrou Takeshima in the quarterfinals.
Alcantara came from back-to-back triumphs with different teammates in recent doubles competitions.
He and long-time buddy Karunuday Singh captured the F4 Thailand Futures after defeating hometown bets Nuttanon Kadchapanan and Palaphoom Kovapitukted, 6-3, 7-5, in the last week of September.
Another one followed when Alcantara took Japan’s Shintaro Imai at his side and went on winning the F5 Thailand Futures.
But, it was not simple for the Filipino and the Japanese as they struggled hard in the finals opposite Adrian Andrzejczuk of Poland and Cheng-Yu Yu of Chinese-Taipei in a match that was only settled in the deciding set.
Alcantara and Imai took the first set with a 7-5 win, but Andrzejczuk and Yu rebounded with a 7-6 (5) win to call for a decider.
But, the much experienced Alcantara and Imai had the breaks of the game on their side to seal the victory, 10-7.