LG table tennis gets underway

Action in the first LG Table Tennis age-group invitational championships heats up today with the staging of the tournament proper in three divisions — 10-under, 12-under and 14-under (boys and girls’ singles) — at the Glorietta Activity Center.

The event, which actually kicked off over the weekend with the two-day qualifier at the Rizal Coliseum, will have its opening rites at 11:30 a.m. to be graced by Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP) president Vic Valbuena and officials of the sponsoring LG electronics.

The boys, girls, men’s and ladies singles titles are at stake in the four-day tournament which features aspirants from as young as 10 years old all the way up to 60.

Meanwhile, Diane Valdez of College of St. Benilde bundled out Ateneo bet Edel Correa while Arlene Ng of Philippine Cultural High School struggled past Ana Estela Falcon of St. Martin at the Rizal Coliseum yesterday.

Valdez, the 18-year-old reigning WNCAA champion, trounced Correa with an emphatic 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 victory in the women’s 20-under category, while Ng paced the girls’ 17-under class with an 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 win over Falcon at the close of the two-day qualifiers.

In a duel of former Palarong Pambansa champions, Isaias Seronio of UP repulsed Johanne Remaneses, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, while Mark Jimenez battled from a set down to down James Borleo of PAF, 3-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7, and advance in the men’s 30-under category.

Joining them in the next round are Michael Dalumpines and Jeff Randel Vinas, who eked out a pair of five-set victories over Kirby Colis, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, and Darwin Esguerra of PAF, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8, 5-11, respectively.

Also advancing to the next round was Edward Ramos of TATAP, who won over Arnel Bautista of Dagupan, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, in the men’s 20-under class of this event sponsored by top electronics firm LG, staged by IMG and held under the auspices of TATAP.

In other results, Mansueto Villar of Navotas swamped Giovanni Ebreo of PAF, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9, to lead the quarterfinalists in the men’s 50-under division of the tournament.

Also moving into the final eight were Ramon Milante, who prevailed over Joel Disini, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7, and Diego Hibas, who beat Enrico Caruso, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.

The event, backed by Tibhar, Accel, Rustan’s, Café Lupe, Aqua Vida, Luxaria, NBC, Ayala Center, 103.5 K-Lite and The STAR, will also stage the men’s LIHA event, to be participated in by those who saw action in the last PCSO-President’s Cup National age-group championships.