Arcilla sweeps Anasta for Olivarez plum

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Johnny Arcilla showed up doubles partner Vicente Anasta in their showdown for the men’s singles crown, fashioning out a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 victory in the third Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat late Sunday.

Arcilla used his power and a variety to shots to dominate Anasta in the early going then pulled through in a gripping duel in the next two sets to complete the straight-set victory in the event capping a two-week long event that included the age-group tournament presented by Palawan Pawnshop and held in honor of former Parañaque mayor Dr. Pablo Olivarez.

The victory, worth P40,000, capped the many-time PCA Open champion’s impressive campaign, winning the hotly-disputed crown without dropping a set.

Anasta, who tripped Patrick Tierro, also in three, to capture the crown last year, needed to fight back from a set down to frustrate Tierro again, this time in the semis, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, to seal a title duel with Arcilla.

Arcilla and Anasta earlier partnered to beat Marc Reyes and Tierro, 6-4, 7-6(4), and claim the men’s doubles diadem sponsored by Dunlop Sports, Stronghold Insurance, FedEx Air21 and Olivarez Sports Center.

Marian Capadocia took the ladies Open crown by also beating last year’s winner Clarice Patrimonio, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2).