Nia, Rivera roll into Olivarez Cup semis

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Nio Tria grounded out a tough quarterfinal win in the boys’ 14-U while No. 2 Shaira Hope Rivera took an easier route in the girls’ 18-U semis in juniors action of the sixth Olivarez Cup Age Group Tennis Championships at Olivarez Sports Center in Parañaque yesterday.

Tria had to summon all his strength and willpower against No. 8 Daniel Estanislao, who pushed him to the limit, before scoring a 7-6 (3), 4-6, 10-8, for a spot in the Last-4 of the weeklong event featuring the country’s leading and rising junior players.

Tria next faces the winner between third seed Tim Adrian Gumban and Laurenz Quitara.  Gumban came off a 6-2, 6-1 win over Loucas Fernandez while Quitara pulled the rug from under No. 6 John Alexander Bulilan, 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the previous round.

Rivera, on the other hand, hardly broke out a sweat in hammering out a 6-0, 6-0 shutout of Ibiza Mae Perez, to grab her expected place in the semis in the girls’ premier class of the Group I tournament, backed by Dunlop AllClay Court as the official ball, Stronghold Insurance and Aseana City.

She goes up against either Melanie Faye Dizon or Bettina Bautista, who were playing quarterfinal match at presstime.

Rivera is also in the hunt in the girls’ 16-U as she got through to the quarters after disposing off Lila Salvacion, 6-0, 6-0.

The girls’ 14- and 16-U categories also stakes berths for the WTA Future Stars Tournament featuring some of the top juniors in Asia-Pacific on Oct. 20-27 in Singapore.

“We expect a spirited battle in those two girls’ categories with so much at stake, including a chance to play with the region’s best,” said Philta president and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who also cited Palawan Pawnshop’s continuing commitment, through COO Bobby Castro, to boost and develop the sport with its year-long, nationwide annual circuit.

In the boys’ 18-U, giant-killer Allen Manlangit continued his fine form and reached the Round of 16. After claiming the scalp of top seed Chris Justine Prulla, 6-3, 6-0, in the opener, Manlangit followed through with a 6-2, 6-1 drubbing of Jaffary Cariga.

The big guns lived up to billing in the boys’ 16-U with No. 1 Cenon Gonzalez, Jr. securing a quarterfinal berth at the expense of No. 14 Aljohn Talatayod, 6-2, 6-2, and second seed Manuel Balce III advancing after a 6-0, 6-3 victory over No. 15 Athan Arejola.

Aulrich Reyes upset top-ranked Daniel Estanislao III the boys’ 12-U, 5-7. 7-5, 15-13, to qualify for the quarters against Diego Dayrit, who advanced via a 6-2, 6-4 win over Marc Andrei Jarata.

Jarata, however, reached the semis over at the 10-U on the strength of 4-1, 1-4, 10-6 edging of Luis Salvacion.

Meanwhile, the qualifying rounds for the both the men’s and women’s singles begin today.