Palo, Cua lead roster of PPS A-Verde winners

MANILA, Philippines — Jose Kael Palo pulled off a two-title romp in boys’ play while Dhea Cua extended her domination of the girls’ 14-and-under class as the Kidapawan City bets stamped their class in the PPS-PEPP Aqua Verde national age-group tennis tournament in Bangkal, Davao City last Friday.

The top-seeded Palo, 14, ran off three lopsided victories in the upper half of the full-packed 64-player draw then repelled No. 2 Jeson Battad of Davao del Norte, 4-6, 6-1, 10-6, in the finals to rule his age division. He then bucked the odds in the 16-U category, escaping with another three-setter, 6-3, 0-6, 10-5, over Clayton Neri in the semis before trouncing local bet Nathan Agus, 6-3, 6-1, to complete a double victory in the Group 1 event presented by Dunlop at the Aqua Verde courts.

Cua, on the other hand, extended her run in the 14-U category, blasting Tagum City’s Faith Lazaro, 6-1, 6-2, but the talented youngster fell short of her bid in the 16-U finals, bowing to Cotabato’s Djoanna Natano, 4-6, 4-6, in the week-long event put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other winners were Herald Aton from Kidapawan, Andrei Otoc from Pigcawayan, Cotabato, Digos City’s Juliana Carvajal and Reighm Maglana from Maragusan, Davao de Oro.

Aton subdued Derek Napala, 3-6, 7-5, 10-4, for the boys’ 18-U crown; Otoc held off Xhyrus Lozano, also from Maragusan, 7-6(6), 6-1, for the 12-U diadem; the second seeded Carvajal routed Mae Palac from Davao, 6-1, 6-1, for the girls’ premier title; and Maglana trampled Maragusan’s Angela Casanova, 6-2, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-U trophy.

Meanwhile, action in the nationwide circuit shifts to Luzon next week for the Laguna leg in Sta. Rosa starting July 10, with the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque hosting the next stop on July 13-18 before the tour moves to Apalit, Pampanga from July 22-30.