Leg winners eye repeat as Palawan tilt resumes

MANILA, Philippines - Jerome Romualdez and Toni Rose Raymundo try to make it two-in-row while Kianna De Asis seeks to complete another two-title romp in singles play as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis presented by Technifibre holds its fifth leg beginning today in Dumaguete City.

The Manila-based Romualdez and PTA Carlota’s Raymundo pulled off contrasting wins to rule their respective sections in La Carlota, Bacolod last week with the former dominating Karl Baran, 6-1, 6-3, to nail his first 16-and-Under crown in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center.

Raymundo, on the other hand, bucked a first-set setback to repulse Jean Sunio, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the premier girls’ 18-U division of the event which served as the fourth stage of the 38-leg nationwide circuit sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

But Romualdez and Raymundo are expected to have their hands full this week with Baran out to strike back along with the likes of Eldyzar Alvarico, Jan Godfrey Seno, Reyniel Marcellana, Joshua Sarabia and Troy Llamas.

“We expect a fiercely fought contest in all classes with the rest of the competitors raring to prove their worth and gain ranking points,” said Bobby Castro, COO of Palawan Pawnshop, which has been in the forefront of junior tennis development the last few years.

De Asis, who took the 14- and 16-U titles in La Carlota, likewise hopes to score a repeat but faces a tougher challenge this time against top seed Angela Cabaral and No. 2 Tracy Llamas (16-U) and No. 1 Ellaine Bohunsua and Llamas in 14-U play.