Balanga stuns Rogan in Olivarez Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Unranked Edilyn Balanga displayed superb form to dismantle No. 4 Aileen Rogan, 6-0, 6-1, and crash into the Final Four of the women’s singles along with the top three seeds in the third Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat yesterday.

The Spain-based Balanga, who swept her first two matches in lopsided fashions, sustained her amazing run, surprising Rogan with her vast repertoire of shots to fashion out the easy win and arrange a semis showdown with defending champion Clarice Patrimonio.

The second seeded Patrimonio also cruised to the semis with a 6-1, 6-2 romp over Grace Espinosa although she expects a tougher outing when she goes for a return to the finals against the 24-year-old Balanga at 5 p.m. today.

Top seed Marinel Rudas clipped age-group two-time champion Roxanne Resma, 6-1, 6-3, to seal a duel with Marian Capadocia, who held off Katrina Orteza, 6-3, 7-5, to clinch the last semis berth in the tournament presented by Palawan Pawnshop and held in honor of former Parañaque mayor Dr. Pablo Olivarez.

Meanwhile, Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro has lined up another two age-group tilts in his continuing effort to provide the young players a venue where they could hone their talent and skills.

“To encourage more participants, we’re holding these age-groupers for free,” said Castro, referring to the Cainta-Palawan Pawnshop Open on March 18-24 and the Palawan Pawnshop Age Group match on March 30-April 3. “We are also conducting a series of free clinics for the youth  both in our age-group and Open tournaments.”

Sisters Clarice and Christine Patrimonio rolled past Rose Cruz and Cheryl Macasera, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the semis in the doubles play of the tournament sponsored by Dunlop Sports, Stronghold Insurance, FedEx Air21 and Olivarez Sports Center.

The Patrimonios take on Rudas and Hannah Espinosa, who subdued Khim Iglupas and Resma, 7-5, 0-6, 10-8, while the Capadocia siblings – Marian and Jella – routed Liza Babia and Elena Duran, 6-0, 6-0, to seal a Final Four clash with Maia Balce and Rogan, who turned back Isabella Mendoza and Alyssa Labay, 7-5, 6-3.