Davao hosts Palawan Pawnshop junior tennis

MANILA, Philippines - The chase for top honors and ranking points resumes today as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis circuit presented by Tecnifibre holds its seventh leg at the ECO 4 Tennis Club in Davao.

The leading and upcoming age-groupers from Panabo, Tadeco, Matti, Tagum, Digos, Toril, M’lang, Kidapawan, Padada, Malita, Bansalan, Sta. Cruz, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos and Koronadal will slug it out with the host city’s aces in the four-day event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.

“We expect a record field since we waived the registration fee to accommodate as many participants as we could and at the same time provide these young players a chance to experience tournament play,” said (Ret.) Col. Faustino “Toto” Laingo, president of the ECO 4 Tennis Club.

Edgar Quinones, Jaffary Cariga and Abdul Hanan Cariga headline the field that includes Christian Lopez, John David Velez, Nicole Gorospe, Lordrenz Pacheco, Stephen Tubbs, Jyle Cyrin Martinez, AJ Alejandre, Marco Barrios, Kyle Macaraeg, Mark Directo, LJ Mangundadatu, Dale Gorospe and Ramon Wilfred Bentillo.

Titles to be disputed in the event, sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Technifibre, are the 10-unisex, and the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14- 16- and 18-and-under.

Heading the cast in the distaff side are Minette Bentillo, Angelica Novis, Harlyn Gatalla, Nicole Bautista, Shaira Rivera, Lyndie Bisnar, Jessica Carcueva, Krizzan Dumlao, Patricia Velez, Jazzele Madis, Shane Barrios and Kimberly Salvo.

“This nationwide circuit program is part of our long-term commitment to promote sports as one of the primary focus of our corporate social responsibility and at the same time discover talents who could be trained and developed to become members of future national team,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

For details, contact Philta referee and tournament director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

The circuit has held tournaments in Bacolod, Bohol, Dumagueta and Los Baños so far and will visit the other provinces and cities for the duration of its 29-stage tour as part of Philta and Palawan Pawnshop’s commitment to help boost junior tennis.