Brent Cortes bags three titles in PPS Tubod netfest

MANILA, Philippines — Brent Cortes pulled off a rare three-title romp while Sydney Enriquez stretched her winning run to Lanao del Norte as they shared top honors in the Palawan Pawnshop Palawan Express Pera Padala Tubod age group tennis tournament last Monday.

Playing before hometown crowd, the 14-year-old Cortes upended top seed Nash Agustines, 7-5, 6-2, to rule his age division. He repeated over Agustines in the 16-U finals, 6-4, 6-4, then repulsed unseeded Keane Pepito, 3-6, 6-4, 10-7, to snare the 18-U diadem in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and hosted by Stanley Noval at the Tubod-Laneco-Baroy tennis courts.

Enriquez, which swept the 16- and 18-U crowns in the three-leg PPS Zamboanga del Norte swing last month, including in her hometown Salug, sustained her charge and came away with another two-title feat, beating Camille Padilla, 6-1, 6-0, in the girls’ 16-U finals and holding off Janmarie Anghag, 6-2, 7-5, for the 18-U diadem.

“While Enriquez is coming off an impressive sweep, Cortes’ feat was worth noting since he even proved his mettle in 18-U play, gaining ground and confidence through his regular participation in the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other winners were Cagayan de Oro’s Janus Rosales (10-unisex), Aslan Carbonilla from Maranding (boys’ 12-U) and Ozamiz City’s Ma. Judy Anne Padilla, who took the girls’ 12- and 14-U titles.