Negrense Martina Guba overcame a sluggish start to stun Malaysian No. 1 and tournament top seed Adelle Chia Boey and advance to the semifinals of the Agra Cup-Asian 14U Series at the Rizal Tennis Center in Manila.

The 14-year-old tennis wonder from La Carlota City wore down the Malaysian with heavy groundstrokes from the baseline to secure a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 triumph that arranged a semifinal meeting with RP No. 1 and No. 3 seed Shanine Olivarez.

"I committed too many errors in the first set. But she was giving me high balls in the second set and I tried my best to make her run," Martina said

Guba's father-coach, Socrates said her daughter actually stared at a 2-4 deficit and down 30-40 in the seventh game of the second set, before pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament, so far. "She is well-prepared for this tournament," Socrates said of her daughter, who saw action in international tournaments in New Delhi, India and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during the summer.

Martina, who bundled out No. 6 Patricia Joy Orteza, 6-0, 6-2 in the first round, said she has yet to lose against Olivarez, but came into the tournament unseeded because of her lack of appearances in the Under-14 circuit.

"I compete more in 18-Under tournaments," Martina said.

Together with Sally Mae Siso, Guba also closed in on the doubles crown after winning their semifinal match over Olivarez and Boey, 6-4, 6-3. Siso and Guba face Macy Gonzales and Orteza in the finals. *CPT

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