Naga’s Elma Dasian grabbed the first title available in the two-weekend 2008 Prince All-Students Tennis Tournament at the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club tennis courts.
The victory, however, wasn’t served on a silver platter as Dasian had to wade through rough waters before outlasting Maasin’s Mary Joy Calapre, 8-6, to clinch the elementary girls crown.
In the other matches, tournament topseed Francis Largo held virtual clinic in smashing Don Bosco’s Paulo Cenabre, 8-1, while the second-ranked Larry Antigua was similarly impressive in clobbering Gerald Lambayan, 8-1.
Largo and Antigua were joined into the next round by another title favorite Bernardine “Niño” Siso, who booted out Jess Anthony Espinosa, 8-2.
Cyril Camporedondo of the University of the Visayas (UV) and Israel Abarquez also kept on making surprises to advance into the round of 16.
The much-improved Camporedondo dispatched Christian Paul Cabahug, 8-3, while Abarquez pulled a hard-earned 8-6 win against Joseph Tallo.
In the distaff side, Jessica Lagman, the only rose among the Lagman siblings, mauled Joan Paylado,8-1, Cheska Tabotabo whipped Christine Bellita, 8-5, while Khara Abadia crushed Bianca Cenabre, 8-4.
Jessica’s multi-titled brother Jacob Lagman came up with back-to-back victories to put his championship campaign on the right track. So hot Jacob was that he never dropped a set in pulling off a similar 8-0 whitewash of Justine de la Cerna and Christopher Encarnacion.
Jacob will face next John Michael Necesario, who advanced into the semifinal with an 8-4 drubbing of Christian Ugarte, 8-4.
Michael Wamar also kept his title hopes alive by thrashing Joshua Kinaadman, 8-2. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol