MAIKA Tanpoco of the Philippines scored a huge win against Japanese Sanae Ohta, 6-2, 6-3, to enter the semifinals of the 2011 International Juniors Tennis Championship Junior’s Circuit Week 1 on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.

Overcoming a 0-2 deficit and a slow start, Tanpoco employed impeccable forehand volleys and good serves in the second set on the way to her victory. She will battle Nastassia Rubel of Belarus in the girl’s singles semifinals.

“It’s a great day to score a win against a seeded player,” said the 16-year-old Tanpoco, referring to the second seed Ohta. “I need to play very hard against Rubel to make it to the finals. She is good too.”

But Tanpoco’s compatriots Tamitha Nguyen and Marian Jade Capadocia failed to make it to the semifinals of the event supported by the Philippine Investment Management Inc., ATP Head balls, Viva and Powerade.

Japanese Miki Kobayashi defeated the Filipino-Vietnamese Nguyen, 6-2, 6-3, while British Eden Silva clipped Capadocia 7-5, 6-2, in the quarterfinals. Kobayashi will meet Silva in the semifinals.

Capadocia booted out top seed Kanika Vaida of India in the second round on Thursday but was defeated by Silva.

In the boy’s singles play, Taiwanese Yu Cheng-Yu whipped Filipino Jurence Mendoza, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, while Thai Wattanakul Singekrawee blanked Korean Ku-Keon Kang 6-2, 6-4 to make it to the semifinals.