Santiago enters finals of PSC-Philta netfest

MANILA, Philippines – Third seed Frances Angelica Santiago humbled top pick Nikki Ong, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, on Monday to book the first seat into the girls' 16-and-under finals of the fifth PSC-Philta National age-group tennis tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Santiago will tackle the winner of the other semifinal showdown pitting unheralded Nicole Amistad, who pulled the rug from under No. 6 Melanie Faye Dizon, 6-4, 2-6, 10-8, and No. 5 Rafaella Villanueva, who stunned No. 2 Coleen Sioson, 6-3, 6-4.

Villanueva, the 14-year-old daughter Philta vice president and Davis Cup administrator Randy, has given up participating in her age bracket to focus on older sections like the 16- and 18-year-old brackets.

In fact, Villanueva topped the 16-under event last year to represent the country in the strong World Tennis Association age group tournament in Singapore in the middle of this year.

Jed Labasano, seeded third, grabbed some of the attention after elimination top seed Marcus del Rosario, 7-5, 6-3, to arrange a title duel with No. 2 Stephan Lhuillier, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over No. 4 Aljohn Talatayod, 6-1, 6-4, in this meet bankrolled by the PSC and sanctioned by Philta.

No. 5 Samuel Nuguit rode on the crest of his pulsating 4-2, 5-4 (6), 10-4 win over No. 2 Macie Carlos the day before as he brought down another higher ranked opponent in No. 4 Marc Andrei Jarata, 1-4, 4-2, 4-2, to advance to the boys' 10-and-under finale.

There, Nuguit will face off with heavily favored Miguel Luis Vicencio, who downed No. 8 James Rohan Cruz, 5-3, 4-0, in this tournament backed by Asiatraders Corp and Dunlop Fort All Court Balls.

In the girls' 12-and-under class, fancied Alexan Eala and Miles Vitaliano restored order by smashing No. 4 Gabby Zoleta, 6-0, 6-0, and No. 3 Denise Bernardo, 6-0, 6-2, respectively, to set up a title encounter.

Mikaela Vicencio lived up to her top billing by slamming No. 3 Maxine Martin, 6-2, 6-1, to snare the first berth in the girls' 14-and-under division.

No. 2 Jerome Romualdez outlasted a gritty No. 8 Jeremiah Macias, 6-3, 5-7, 6-0, to forge a semis duel with No. 3 Cenon Gonzales, a 6-1 6-4 winner over unranked Lee Yoon Hak in the boys' 16-and-under group.

No. 6 Justin Suarez eked out a 6-4, 7-6 (3) triumph over No. 4 Emmanuel Fuellas, 6-4, 7-6(3), to surge into the semis where he will be pitted against No. 7 Jake Martin, who moved on without breaking a sweat following a walkover win over Mark Joseph Chapa.

The favorites likewise continued to hold sway in the boys' 12-and-under following wins by No. 1 Aljohn Talatayod, who overpowered Sebastiene Lhuillier, 6-0, 6-0, and No. 2 Jan Harold Trillanes, who clobbered James Rohan Cruz, 6-0, 6-2.

Talatayod will tackle No. 7 Eurydice Gaspar, who trounced Sherwin Villacorte, 6-3, 6-3, while Trillanes battles No. 3 Miguel Vicencio, who fashioned out a marathon 7-5, 5-7, 12-10 win over Danielle Estanislao.