Resma, Victoria capture PSC-Philta crowns

MANILA, Philippines - Roxanne Resma and John Maverick Victoria came away with victories in contrasting fashions to capture the centerpiece 18-and-under crowns in the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Tennis Association Age-Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The top seeded Resma stamped her class over Ma. Dominique Ong, dropping just one game en route to an emphatic 6-0, 6-1 victory in the girls’ final while the unseeded Victoria outsteadied No. 4 Betto Orendain in a tight first-set duel and held on to hack out a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory in the boys’ side of the event sponsored by the PSC and Philta with Dunlop Fort as the official ball.

Miko Eala re-staked his claim as the best among the youngsters as he captured two titles, including the boys’ 12-and-U with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Gabriel Tiamson. He earlier shut out Juan Miguel Jugo, 6-0, 6-0, to pocket the 10-unisex diadem.

It was a memorable title win for Victoria, who also had to scrape past Andre Rodriguez, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5, earlier to get a crack at the premier crown in the week-long tournament which also offered ranking points with Resma and Victoria gaining 200 points each.

Khim Iglupas, who lost to Resma in the semis in the 18-and-U class, got back at her tormentor, carving out a 6-4, 6-4 victory to annex the girls’ 16-and-U plum while unranked Monika Therese Cruz capped her remarkable stint by beating No. 4 Chloe May Saraza, 6-1, 7-5, to claim the girls’ 14-and-U diadem.

Allesi Vicencio, on the other hand, took the girls’ 12-and-U crown with a 7-5(5), 6-1 victory over Bettina Bautista while Betto Orendain stunned third seed Stefan Suarez, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, to pocket the boys’ 16-and-U title.