Del Rosario, Po dominate Palawan netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Marcus del Rosario ruled two divisions while young Mariana Po posted a win and a runner-up finish in the third leg of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis circuit presented by Tecnifibre at the Los Baños College Country Club in Laguna yesterday.

Del Rosario, the 13-year-old find from Letran, stopped No. 4 Tomas Puno, 7-6(3), 6-0, to capture the boys’ 18-and-under crown and routed unranked Antonio Villarosa, 6-0, 6-0, in the 14-and-U finals of the event marred by a number of reversals.

The 11-year-old Po, from International School Manila, stunned top seed Gabrielle Zoleta from Lucena, 6-4, 7-6(4), to snare the girls’ 12-and-U diadem after Zoleta repulsed her, 6-4, 7-5, in the 14-and-U finals of the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Technifibre.

Other winners in the event held for the first time in Los Baños and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) were Andie Villarosa, local ace Denise Bernardo, Macie Carlos, Juan Enrique Jugo and Tomas Puno.

Villarosa, playing out of Alabang Country Club, took the girls’ 18-and-U crown with a walkover win over Hannah Angeles; Bernardo, from CSA Biñan, upended top seed Gwyneth Bejer, 6-2, 6-4, to clinch the girls’ 16-and-U title; Carlos, from Valle Verde Country Club, held her ground and toppled No. 1 Rafael Liangco, 6-2, 7-5, to snatch the 10-unisex crown; Jugo, also from Alabang Country Club, shocked top seed Jose Angelo Aparte, 6-4, 6-7, 10-5, to bag the boys’ 12-and-U diadem; and Puno, from Southwoods Tennis Club, also pulled off a reversal of No. 1 Aidyl Ignacio, 6-1, 3-6, 10-7, to cop the boys’ 16-and-U title.

“The reversals only underscored the level playing field and proved that there are a lot of talented young players raring to show their worth,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro. “The series of nationwide age-group tournaments is part of Palawan Pawnshop’s commitment to help develop the sport from the grassroots level.”

Meanwhile, the fourth leg of the 29-stage Palawan Pawnshop circuit, a Group 4 tournament, resumes on Feb. 21-24 at the Ubay Tennis Club in Ubay, Bohol. For details, call tournament director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.