MANILA, Philippines – All eyes are on Johnny Arcilla and PJ Tierro when the main draw of the 33rd Philippine Columbian Association Open men's singles tennis tournament presented by Cebuana Lhuillier and Metro Global Holdings unfurls on Saturday at the PCA's Plaza Dilao courts in Paco, Manila.
Arcilla will return to a familiar surface where he snared a PCA record eight titles while Tierro, a Davis Cup veteran like the former, is seeded first due to his high Philta rankings and should go all out to win his first ever crown on this annual tournament.
Top seed Tierro is paired with unheralded Joshua Cano while second pick Arcilla faces off with unheralded Miguel dela Paz in a pair of matches the two seasoned netters are expected to win.
Also tipped to challenge for the title in this event staking a total cash pot worth P600,000 with P100,000 going to the men's champion and P50,000 to the women's titlist are Marc Reyes, Nelbert Anasta, youthful AJ Lim and Rolando Ruel, Jr.
Reyes thinks Arcilla has the edge in terms of familiarity with the courts.
"He (Arcilla) knows the surface well and he is the most experienced player here so I think he will be tough to beat," said Reyes.
The women's division is expected to be equally exciting as last year's winner Marian Jade Capadocia should face rough sailing in the face of the fierce challenge Anne Clarice and Christine Patrimonio, Maika Tanpoco and Marinel Rudas will put up.
"Cebuana Lhuillier has been a long-time partner of the PCA in its annual tournament for seven years no because we believe in its goal of providing a proper venue for competition for junior Filipino netters," said Cebuana Lhuillier's Jean Henri Lhuillier through Danny Francisco in yesterday's press launch.
"Youth development through sports is also both a personal advocacy of mine and part of the corporate social responsibility of Cebuana Lhuillier, and the PCA Open complements that," he added.
Also in attendance were PCA president Philip Ycasiano and chairman Raul Diaz, and Phl Sports commissioner Salvador "Buddy" Andrada.
Truly, the PCA Open has produced the likes of Arcilla and Tierro plus Francis Casey Alcantara and Kyle Dandan among others.
The meet is sponsored by Dunlop, Fujidenzo/Whirlpool, Babolat, Manny Pacquiao, Head, ACCEL, Malate Bayview Mansion, Coca Cola, Purdential Life, Seno Hardware, Standard Insurance, United Auctioneers, Inc., PSC, TLH Sports & Wellness Center/Solinco, Avida Land Corp., Stronghold Insurance, Ryobi MHI and GMA 7.