Milliam, Mejia shine in Palawan-Iloilo netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Alexa Milliam of La Carlota came away with two victories while Angelo Mejia of Roxas City snared the boys’ 12-and-under crown in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dinagyang Tennis Festival at La Paz Tennis Club in Iloilo City yesterday.

The second ranked Milliam upended the top seeded Khenz Justiniani, 4-0, 5-4 (5), to pocket the 10-unisex crown then trounced No. 5 Rizza Cubos, 6-3, 6-2, in the 12-U finals to emerge the lone player to win two titles in the second leg of the 38-leg circuit sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center and presented by Technifibre.

The third seeded Mejia, on the other hand, flashed top form and eased out No. 1 Alekzander Po, 6-0, 6-1, in the semis then clobbered giant-killer Abraham Lawyer, 6-1, 6-1, to rule the 12-U class of the five-day event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez and held as part of the Dinagyang Festival.

“We thank Palawan Pawnshop for this nationwide circuit which is a big boost to the national junior tennis program, particularly in the whole of Panay island,” said Philta regional vice president Dr. Andres Bayona.

Toni Rose Raymundo, also of La Carlota, played true to form and topped the girls’ premier 18-U category with a 6-1, 6-2 romp over unranked Apple Dayanan, while top seed Averille Sacapano from Boracay Island took the girls’ 16-U plum with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Tracy Llamas.

But the La Carlota-based Llamas foiled Sacapano’s bid for another crown, topping the 14-U section with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5 win while Cenon Gonzales Jr.  rallied from a set down to beat fellow NCR bet Jerome Romualdez for the second straight time, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4, and cop the boys’ 16-U crown.