Barte captures third tennis crown

Fifth seed Ralph Barte of Davao City captured his third straight boys’ 14-under title last Sunday with a 6-4, 7-6 (6) upset win over top seed Raymond Villarete of La Salle-Greenhills in the Toby’s-Philta Age Group Tennis Challenge at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Barte, sponsored by M Balce Surveying Services, had previously won the Enervon International Juniors and the Head-Penn Championships, both Group 1 tournaments sanctioned by Philta.

Meanwhile, Nino Salvador of San Sebastian won the boys’ 21-under title over Olongapo City’s Patrick John Tierro, 7-5, 6-2, while Cebuano Janjie Soquino took the boys’ 16-under title over Arithmetico Lim of Chiang Kai Shek, 6-2, 6-3;

Francis Casey Alcantara of Cagayan de Oro City and Zoleta siblings Bien and Bambi of Mary Hill College in Lucena City won two titles each.

Alcantara bagged the boys’ 12-under title following a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ilocos Norte’s Patrick Arevalo and annexed the unisex 10-under crown when he beat Cebuano Bernardine Siso, 6-2, 6-2.

Bien Zoleta downed Cebuano Bernardine Sepulveda, 6-3, 6-1, for the girls’ 18-under title and nailed the 16-under title over Bohol’s Michelle Panis, 6-2, 6-2.

Bambi Zoleta outplayed Julie Em Botor of Morning Dew Montessori, 6-4, 6-3, to pocket the girls’ 14-under title and later collected the 12-under title over Jessica Agra of Colegio San Agustin.

Davis Alano won the beginners division when he bested Robert Ortelano, 8-7 (2).