Liangco, Angara gain Olivarez Cup semis

MANILA, Philippines - Second seed Rafael Liangco and No. 9 Edgardo Angara came away with  victories in similar fashions to reach the semifinal round of the 10-unisex section of the fifth Olivarez Cup Age Group Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat yesterday.

Liangco, who scored a walkover win over Jason del Rosario in the first round, routed Mateo Rivas, 4-0, 4-0, in the Last 16 phase then thwarted Marc Jarata, 4-1, 2-4, 4-2, in the quarters to cruise to the Final Four while Angara, playing out of Xavier School, eased out Shant Nuguit, 4-1, 4-2, Justine Maneja, 4-0, 4-1, but needed to toughen up to foil No. 16 Samuel Nuguit, 4-2, 2-4, 4-2, and stay in the title hunt.

Top seed Miguel Vicencio and unranked Francis Guillermo were still playing at presstime while Macie Carlos is eyeing to crash into the semis against Jose Thomas Bernardo in the other quarters duel of the event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association with Technifibre as the official ball.

Top seed Ma. Dominique Ong dominated Keannu Flores, 6-1, 6-1, while No. 2 Coleen Sioson dumped Bettina Bautista, 6-2, 6-1, to seal a title duel for the girls’ 18-and-under class of the event held in honor of Dr. Pablo Olivarez, one of the founding fathers of Philippines tennis on his 80th birthday.

Monica Therese Torres stunned top seed Khim Iglupas, 6-3, 6-2, to barge into the girls’ 16-and-U semis against No. 5 Chloe Mae Saraza, who bundled out Bettina Bautista, 6-2, 6-2; while Rafaell Villanueva shocked the second seeded Ong, 6-3, 6-7(4), 10-1, to set up a semis duel with Sioson, who beat Melanie Dizon, 6-3, 6-1, in the event featuring the country’s leading junior players and upcoming stars.

“The inclusion of the juniors division in the Olivarez Cup will hopefully inspire our youth to pursue their dream to become world class players,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO and president of PPS-PEPS Bobby Castro. “It is our desire, through this Olivarez Cup and the Palawan Pawnshop circuit, to identify and develop future world-class tennis players.”

The top-seeded Monica Cruz and No. 2 Rafaella Villanueva likewise made it the semis of the girls’ 14-and-U with the former defeating Dizon, 6-0, 6-2, for a clash with Saraza, who downed Blanche Lagrisola, 6-3, 6-1; and the latter crushing Jackie Tan Ho, 6-1, 6-2, for a duel with No. 4 Mikaela Vicencio, who won over Miles Vitaliano, 6-2 (ret.).

Macie Carlos, a Keys School stalwart, also reached the semis of the 12-and-U category with a 6-2, 6-1 romp over Justine So. She will take on top seed Vitaliano, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Amanda Zoleta, while No. 2 Alexandra Eala routed Renee Acena, 6-2, 6-0, for a clash with Denise Bernardo, who held off Mariano Po, 6-2, 5-7, 11-9.