PPS-PEPP Kalimudan tennis festival unwraps

MANILA, Philippines - Davao ace Patricia Velez and Janus Ringia from Koronadal City head the stellar cast clashing for top honors in the Kalimudan Tennis Festival which unfolds beginning today at the Isulan Capitol Tennis Club in Sultan Kudarat.

Local aces Carlyn Bless Guarde, April Minette Bentillo, Ramon Bentillo and Vince EJ Tugade, Koronadal’s LJ Mangudadatu and Nicole Gorospe, siblings JV and Eric Comendador from Kidapawan and Davao’s Stephen Tubbs, John David Velez, Lordrenz Pacheco, Danna Abad, Nicole Bautista and Abdul Hannan Cariga also signed up for the week-long Group 2 event held as part of the long-running Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group circuit.

“The best and the rising young players in Mindanao are competing this week and we are inviting all tennis aficionados to watch the Kalimudan Tennis Festival,” said host Sultan Pax Mangudadatu, who has ensured the successful staging of the event presented by Technifibre.

Others seeing action are M’lang’s Jazelle and Tenielle Madis and Cedric Pamplona, Klyde Lagarde from Gen. Santos City, Angelica Novis from Malita and Cagayan de Oro bets Matt Steve Palasan, Gennifer Pagente, Aubrey Calma and Farrah Emata.

“We are overwhelmed by the big response of our young players who continue to believe in our program,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro. “It further inspires us to put up as many tournaments in the countryside to further promote the sport and give our youth the venue where they could hone their talent and skills.”

Hostilities get going with fierce action expected in the boys’ 12-, 14- and 16-U categories and girls’ 14- and 16-U divisions, which all feature 32-player draws.

The event, serving as the fifth-to-last leg of this year’s year-long, nationwide circuit, that also features Open tournaments sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop, also lured players from Tagum, Digos, Kabacan, Pikit, Tupi, Sarangani and Mati.

For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP organizer and sports program development director at 0915-4046464.