Eala, Cano shine in Palawan netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Michael Francis Eala racked up three titles while Andrew Joshua Cano and Alexie Santos annexed two apiece as they dominated the Philta Palawan Pawnshop National Championship at the Gov. Socrates Tennis Club in Puerto Princesa, Palawan recently.

Eala, playing out of Xavier School, took the boys’ 12-and-under and 10-unisex crowns with a 6-3, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-1 victories over Manuel Balce III and Jan Harold Trillanes, respectively. He then teamed up with Alexandra Eala to pocket the 10-unisex doubles crown.

Cano lorded it over the field in the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under categories, posting 1-0 ret. win over top seed Marcen Gonzales and thwarting Francisco Santos III, 7-5, 6-2, respectively, in the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Technosports’ Babolat which gathered the top finishers in the nation-wide age group circuit.

Santos, on the other hand, stamped her class in the girls’ 14- and 16-and-under classes, scoring a 1-0 ret. victory over Jana Pages and a 6-3, 6-3 romp over Khrizelle Sampaton, respectively.

“We are very happy for the successful staging of this national championship and part of this event was the tour of our world-renowned Underground River for the participants, who came from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” said Bobby Castro, COO of Palawan Pawnshop, the chief backer of the year-long, talent-search sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.

“Credit should also go to Babolat for its continuing effort to support the event and help raise the level of play in the age-group level,” added Castro.

Sharing the spotlight in the six-day event are Maia Balce, who scored a walkover win over Sally Mae Siso in the girls’ 18-and-under; Alexandra Eala, who stopped Katrina Bien, 6-3, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-and-under title; and Jan Godfrey Seno, who stunned No. 2 Jose Fernando Arguelles, 6-0, 6-3, for the boys’ 14-and-under title.

Julian Dayrit and Mavrick Victoria beat Jerome Romualdez and Francisco Santos, 4-2, 4-2, to claim the 18-and-under boys’ doubles crown while Alexis Bangayan and Kristin Salimbangon took the girls’ 14-and-under doubles title with a 4-1, 1-4, 11-9 win over Camile So and Mariel So.