Arcilla retains Olivarez Cup crown as Tierro retires

MANILA, Philippines - Johnny Arcilla turned a losing stand into a resounding victory as he pounced on a cramps-stricken Patrick John Tierro and hacked out a 6-3, 6-7(6), 4-6, 6-4, 3-1 (ret.) to keep the men’s singles crown in the fourth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship presented by Palawan Pawnshop at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque last Sunday.

Down 1-2 in sets and 0-4 in the fourth frame, Arcilla overcame two love-40 deficits to make it a 2-4 match as Tierro struggled while fighting off stomach cramps. The defending champion then went on to win the next four games to force the decider and later clinch the match and the crown.

Tierro sued for injury timeout in the fifth but was never the same again at resumption, retiring after Arcilla surged ahead at 3-1 and posted a 15-love lead in the fifth, yielding the grueling four-hour match and the title to his top-seeded rival, who beat doubles partner Vicente Anasta in the third Olivarez Cup finals last March.

Philippine Tennis Association president Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez and Dr. Pablo Olivarez, in whose honor the event was held, were on hand during awards rites of the two-week long event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and sanctioned by Philta.

In a duel between two of the country’s leading players, Arcilla, who held off Marc Reyes, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, in the Final Four, dominated the opening frame but Tierro, who cut short young Alberto Lim’s surge in the semis, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, struck back in the next, outdueling Arcilla in the tiebreaker before breaking his rival once in the next to seize a 2-1 lead.

But cramps slowed Tierro down in the fateful fourth, failing to chase down Arcilla’s forehand and cross-court shots and blowing away what seemed to be a big lead.

Top seed Clarice Patrimonio took the ladies singles title in the event held in honor of Philta president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez and presented by Palawan Pawnshop, beating No. 2 Edilyn Balanga, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Arcilla took home P40,000 while Patrimonio won P15,000.

Patrimonio also led National University’s domination of the event, teaming up with sister Christine to thwart Balanga and Alyssa Labay, 6-2, 2-6, 10-8, for the ladies doubles crown in the event backed by Dunlop as official ball.