CLASHES in the boys’ 12-under division and girls’ 14-under play ushered in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Mandaue City national age-group tennis tournament on Wednesday with a mix of old and new joining the hunt in the second leg of a four-leg swing in Cebu at the New Mandaue Tennis Club’s clay courts.
Ormoc City’s John David Velez and Quezon City’s Tiffany Nocos go for back-to-back victories in the premier 18-under class after toppling Marc Jarata of La Union and Ormoc City’ Kimi Brodeth in their respective sides in last week’s skirmish in Lapu-Lapu City.
But both brace for a tougher challenge this time along with the rest in the other divisions of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
More than 200 entries from all over the country are going for top honors in eight divisions with the boys 14- and 16-under classes drawing huge 64-player draws each, underscoring the continued popularity of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro as part of his commitment to help develop the sport and produce future members of the national team.
The girls’ 14- and 16-under sides also feature 32-player charts each with Jana Diaz from Bacoor, Cavite, Adriana Lanza, Maristella Torrecampo and Kate Imalay headlining the 14-under cast and Brodeth, Diaz and Imalay looming as the players to beat in the 16-U side of the event backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating.
The City of Naga also in Cebu will stage the next leg from August 17 to 24 before the Cebu joust winds up in Consolacion (Laray) from August 25 to 31. For details, contact Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
David Sepulveda, Rafa Callao, Clemente Barrera, Gabrio Serillo, Lexious Cruz, Urcisino Villa and David Neri lead the chase in the boys’ 12-under category while seven matches kicked off hostilities in girls’ 14-under side of the tournament.
Other players tipped to contend are Cagayan de Oro’s Johann Aguanta and Pete Bandala from Dipolog (boys’ 14-under), Bacolod’s Mcleen Gomera, Ivan Manila from San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Maranding, Lanao’s Kale Cyd Villamar and Ormoc”s Gerald Gemida (boys’ 16-under), Pasig City’s Lanza, Maristella Torrecampo from Los Baños, Laguna, and Camiguin’s Zita Clarke (girls’ 12-under), and Amygray Olalo from Tagbilaran, Bohol and Judy Ann Padilla from Ozamiz City (girls’ 16-under).