PATRICK John Tierro, the country' top netter, frustrated local hope Vardhan Vishun, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round of the India Association of Tennis Professionals/International Tennis Federation Satellite recently in New Delhi.

The win enabled the 20-year-old Tierro to clinch a slot in the $25,000 New Delhi Masters slated next week.

Tierro's second round foe is Manuel Jorquera of Italy in the round of 16. Jorquera is ranked No. 600 in the world.

Win or lose, Tierro is now assured of getting ATP points which should enable the Filipino Davis Cupper to crack the world's top 1,000 list.

To make it to the main draw, Tierro, who trains under Beeyong Sison at the Subic Bay International Tennis Center, had to survive Indians Vijit Sehgal, 6-1, 6-2, and Dipesh Rao, 6-4, 7-6 (5), in the qualifying rounds.

Among those competing in the tournament are world No. 373 and top seed Alexey Kedriouk of Kazakhstan, second seed and world No. 435 Herbert Wiltschnig of Austria and his compatriot Philipp Mullner, who is the fourth seed with an ATP ranking of 476. Local bet Vishal Uppal of India (ATP No. 522) is the fifth seed.

The 6-foot-1 Tierro won a gold medal as part of the men's team in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last December.

Tierro has now qualified to the Masters of all three ATP/ITF Satellite events he has joined since 2004.

Backed up by Cebuana Lhuillier sportsman-businessman Jean Henri Lhuillier and Philta president Manuel Misa, Tierro's campaign is part of the five-year developmental plan mapped out by Sison.