MANILA, Philippines - Johnny Arcilla took control early and never gave Ronard Joven elbow room for a comeback, scoring an emphatic 6-4, 6-2 victory to nail the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Pintaflores Festival Open Tennis Championship crown at the San Carlos City Tennis Club in Negros Occidental over the weekend.
Arcilla broke Joven right in their opening game, taking the next three points after a 15-all count before the many-time PCA Open winner, who eased out Fritz Verdad in the semis of the event held in conjunction with the host city’s Pintaflores Festival celebrations, went on to trade serving turns with his doubles partner, including a romp in the 10th game.
Joven, who survived Leander Lazaro in three to gain a crack at the crown, held serve in his first two turns in the second game but Arcilla wore him down and broke again in the fifth and seventh games before hitting back-to-back aces to start the eighth game en route to victory in the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and hosted by Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. with Criston Carmona as organizer.
Arcilla, also a Davis Cup veteran, took the top P40,000 purse while Joven settled for P20,000 in the week-long tournament backed by Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson and Rep. Julio Ledesma.
“Arcilla continued to be an inspiration to our young players with his talent and discipline, staying in shape through all these years,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.
Arcilla made it a twinkill as he and Joven ruled the doubles event with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Vicente Anasta and Arvin Ruel. The Arcilla-Joven pair held off Roel Capangpangan and Kim Saraza in the semis, 6-1, 7-5, while Anasta and Ruel toppled the Leander Lazaro-Verdad tandem, 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, action in the PPS-PEPP age-group tennis tournaments shifts to Capiz on Nov. 5-8 at the Dumalag Tennis Club.
The event is part of the Dumalag Festival.