Sally Mae leads cast seeking double glory at Gullas Cup

CEBU, Philippines - Bemedalled tennister Sally Mae Siso along with eight other players eye double victories when the 16th Gullas Cup tennis tournament comes to a close today at the Cebu Country Club clay courts.

That as Siso along with Hannah Espinosa, Crissiane Kintanar, Claire Lazaga, Alyssa Bornia, Dan Eldred Cinco, Jan Godfrey Seno, Arthur Craig Pantino, and Mark Suson will play in the singles finals after their successful bid in the doubles yesterday.

Siso along with Espinosa were too much for Christine Belleta and Alma Dasian and easily beat the latter in the girls’18 championship, 8-1.

Claire Lazaga, along with Sarah Tuñacao, won the girls’ 16 title over Karissa Flores and Grace Melchor, 8-2, as Alyssa Bornia together with Sheryn Villareal pulled away an 8-5 triumph against Beverly Enriquez and Kara Salimbangon in the girls’ 12 final.

Cinco together with Janel Troy Pintor shocked the multi-titled Niño Siso, who paired off with Juniel Espinosa by claiming an 8-4 triumph in the boys’18 doubles.

The fast-rising Mark Suson along with Sebastian Santos won the unisex 10-under over Adrian Kinaadman and Vince Lominoque, 8-4, as Arthur Craig Pantino and Francis Lambayan escaped defeat from the hands of Derek Tabotabo and Jan Godfrey Seno, 8-6 in the boys’12 final battle.

Joshua Kinaadman and Jeff Asilo got the boys’14 doubles title over Jermaine Laurel and Christopher Encarnacion, 8-4 while Ralph Juliane and Mark Enriquez ruled the boys’16 division over Jared Laurel and Alexis Ondoy, 8-2.

It will be an exciting finale today as the likes of Seno and Pantino face each other again for the singles’ championship of the boys’12 while Niño Siso seeks vengeance over Cinco in the boys’ 18.

It will be rematch of sort as well for Sally Mae Siso and Belleta as they go for the girls’ 18-under title while Siso’s doubles partner eyes the girls’ 16 title against Claire Lazaga.

Crissiane Kintanar, for her part, will meet Jana Pages in the girls’14 championship while Alexie Santos takes on Alyssa Bornia in the girls’ 12 final.

Pages and Santos are equally excited in today’s final as they hope to get a title each after a failed partnership in the doubles.

In the unisex 10-under, it’s Mark Suson against Earl Colleen Maxilom while the boys’16-under will have Francis Parangan against John Necesario and Justin Asilo versus Joshua Kinaadman in the boys’14 championship match.

The Gullas Cup is sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA). (FREEMAN)