Saraza, Gonzales log big wins in ELO Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Chloe Mae Saraza pulled off one big win after another and came away with two crowns while Cenon Gonzales Jr. fought back from a set down to repulse Emmanuel Fuellas as they led the winners in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala E.L.O. Cup regional age group tennis presented by Technifibre at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig late Monday.

The third-ranked Saraza recovered from a close setback in the first set then held away in a back-and-forth decider to hack out a 6-7(4), 6-0, 7-5 victory over No. 4 Rafaella Villanueva in the girls’ 16-and-Under class in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.

Sustaining her form, Saraza repeated over Villanueva, 6-3, 6-4, to snatch the crown in the premier 18-U side as an unranked player, emerging the only double winner in the tournament which served as the sixth leg of the 38-stage circuit put up by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center.

“Saraza’s win, along with the other reversals, underscored the level playing field,” said Philta president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, under whose honor the event was held. “With the help of Palawan Pawnshop, we will continue providing our youth ranking tournaments to further hone their skills and talent and make them better players.”

Meanwhile, the seventh leg of theGroup 2 tournament will be set Feb. 27-March 2 in Cainta, Rizal.

The top-seeded Gonzales, who ruled the kickoff leg in Ormoc, Leyte last month, survived Manuel Balce III in the semis, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, then thwarted Fuellas, 6-3, 7-6(6), to nail the boys’ 16-U plum while Marcen Gonzales scored a 6-1 (ret.) win over Fuellas to run away with the 18-U crown.

Alexandra Eala also shared the spotlight by scoring an easy 6-0, 6-1 victory over Adeline Abadia to cap her domination of the girls’ 12-U division where she dropped just three games to clinch the crown.

Mikaela Vicencio later foiled Eala’s bid for a second crown, carving out a 7-6(3), 6-2 victory to cop the 14-U title, while top seed Marc Andrei Jarata subdued Thomas Bernardo, 4-1, 5-3, to clinch the crown in the full-packed 10-unisex section.

No. 3 Alexander Bulilan also rallied to stun second seed Jules Lazaro, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and snare the boys’ 14-U crown while No. 7 Eurydice Gaspar prevailed over top seed Miguel Vicencio in a thrilling 12-U finale, 6-7(7), 6-2, 7-6(4).