Suarez, Nocos log PPS-PEPP Naga wins

MANILA, Philippines – Top seed Justin Suarez of PTA Manila bounced back from a second set meltdown with a tough win in the tiebreaker, hacking out a 6-2, 2-6, 10-7 victory over unranked Nilo Ledama to clinch the boys’ 16-and-under crown in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament at the Naga City Tennis Club in Cebu yesterday.

Young Tiffany Claire Nocos also lived up to her billing but went through a pair of wringers to win the 10-unisex and girls’ 12-U title in the week-long Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and held as part of the Dagitab Festival celebrations capped by an Open Championship which gets going today.

Nocos, from Lapu Lapu City thwarted No. 2 Alain Ocat, 3-5, 5-4(3), 12-10, to snare the 10-unisex crown then repulsed second seed Lyra Mae Repollo, 6-1, 3-6, 10-7, in the 12-U finals of the event presented by Technifibre.

“We thank Palawan Pawnshop for staging this tournament which drew the top young players from various cities and towns of the region. We also invite tennis aficionados to watch the national men’s players in the Open Championship,” said Mayor Valdemar Chiong of the NCTC.

Local ace Zethley Alferez took the girls’ 18-U title with a 6-1, 6-2 reversal over top seed Kristin Salimbangon, but Carcar, Cebu’s Elizabeth Abarquez foiled Alferez’s two-title bid by taking the 16-U plum with a 6-1, 6-3 shocker.

Abarquez later downed Wyne Paglinawan, 6-1, 6-4, to pocket the 14-U plum while Norman Enriquez of Pardo, Cebu whipped Wyndell Deja, 6-0, 6-2, for the boys’ 18-U diadem, and Ledama, from Pagadian City, recovered from a loss to Suarez by copping the 14-U crown with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Kier Nacua.

“The huge turnouts in all our legs only inspire us to continue holding this event for our youth and we promise a bigger, better circuit next year to further develop the sport and help in Philta;s talent-search program,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Meanwhile, action heats up beginning today with the Open men’s championship headlined by Davis Cuppers PJ Tierro, Johnny Arcilla and Jeson Patrombon and regular campaigners Ronard Joven, Vicente Anasta, Fritz Verdad, Arvin Ruel, Deo Talatayod, Diego Dalisay, Kyle Parpan, John Mari Altiche, Leander Lazaro, Israel Abarquez and Kennex Abadia.