Jeson Patrombon and American partner Mitchell Krueger kept their title bid alive in the 11th Gerry Webber Junior Open by cruising into the quarterfinals of the boys doubles event with a 6-3, 6-4, triumph over the New Zealand pair of Ben McLachlan and Jaden Grinter in Halle, Germany Wednesday.

Teaming up for the second time after their stint in the Astrid Bowl Belgian Championships last May, Patrombon and Krueger put up an aggressive game at the net en route to the win that arranged them a meeting with Germans Jannis Kahlke and Daniel Masur in the next round.

It was Patrombon’s first career victory on a grasscourt after getting the door in the first round of the singles event against Lynn Max Kempen of Germany two days ago.

Patrombon has never met Kahlke and Masur in any singles matches before although both Germans have been competing in different European tournaments the past year.

Against the Germans, the Filipino-American tandem is favored to win owing to its superior International Tennis Federation (ITF) rankings Patrombon and Krueger are ranked Nos. 37 and 79, respectively, while Kahlke and Masur, are at Nos. 211 and 591.