Iglupas stuns Balanga, bags Olivarez Cup crown

MANILA, Philippines - Khim Iglupas knocked off second seed Edilyn Balanga in a thrilling three-setter, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4, to capture the ladies Open singles crown in the fifth Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat over the weekend.

The third-seeded Iglupas kept the momentum of her equally stinging three-set upset over Clarice Patrimonio in the semifinal round, and like her victory over the top seeded bet, the 16-year-old Philippine Tennis Academy-Manila mainstay broke Balanga once in the decider to clinch the championship.

The Iligan City native actually completed a golden double as she teamed up with Maia Balce to defeat sisters Clarice and Christine Patrimonio, 6-2, 7-5, to bag the doubles diadem.

Iglupas, who trains under Romy Chan, battled Balanga, who eased out Balce, 6-4, 6-4, in the semis, to a hold-hold game in the opener then pulled through in the tiebreak. But Balanga struck back in the second frame, breaking Iglupas early to force the decider.

After both players held serve in the first six games, Iglupas broke Balanga in the seventh then hung tough and foiled her rival’s bid to force a tiebreaker, ending the grueling two-hour, 40 minute showdown in the centerpiece division of the event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez with Technifibre as the official ball.

“She played with a lot of guts and was impressive. Her victory should line her up for more championships,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro of Iglupas, one of the country’s rising stars who’s been honing her talent and skills in the year-round, nationwide Palawan Pawnshop age-group circuit.

Second seed Johnny Arcilla, who scored a 6-2, 2-6, 5-0(ret.) win over Marc Reyes in the semis of the men’s Open singles, was playing No. 4 Vicente Anasta, who bundled out top seed PJ Tierro, 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4, in the Final Four, at presstime.

Tierro earlier teamed up with Ronard Joven as the top seeded team trounced Arcilla and Kyle Dandan, 7-6(3), 6-3, to snare the men’s doubles plum.