Iloilo bets clinch PPS Capiz honors

MANILA, Philippines - Marben Mosquera and Avril Suace came away with contrasting victories in the 14-and-under class and turned in runner-up finishes in higher divisions to bag top honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dumalag leg regional tennis tournament at the Dumalag Tennis Club in Capiz yesterday.

The fourth-ranked Mosquera upended top seed Nikhel Nowlakha, 6-0, 6-2, in the semis then trounced Jan Lamparero, 6-1, 6-3, to cop the boys’ 14-U crown.

But he fell short against fellow Ilonggo JJ Chrysler Gazo from Cabatuan, 4-6, 0-6, in the 18-U finals and yielded a 0-2(ret) setback to Jon Jimenea, also of Iloilo, in the 16-U finals of the Group 2 event hosted by Mayor Amado Eriberto Castro Jr.

Suace, on the other hand, survived Rose Martirez, 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-2, to snare the girls’ 14-U title but the Central Philippine U stalwart bowed to Kalibo’s Averille Sacapano, 0-6, 0-2(ret)  in the 18-U finals.

The event is the fifth leg of the circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president and CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger. It is backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by Philta.

La Carlota’s Kiana de Asis took the girls’ 16-U diadem with a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Sacapano; Jufe-Ann Cocoy, also of La Carlota, held off Abigail Sacapano, 6-3, 6-3, to pocket the girls’ 12-U title; while Roxas City’s Derrick Guillano turned back Louchela Estember, 4-2, 1-4, 4-2, to nail the 10-unisex crown.

 Unranked Kalibo’s Nino Ronald Rey shared the spotlight by winning the boys’ 12-U plum, thwarting Rafael Legaspi, 6-1, 7-6 (7).

Gazo later teamed up with Paul Caspe to nip Matthew Flores and Jondreve Jimenea, 8-7(3), while Averille Sacapano and De Asis overpowered Louise Clavaton and Angela Depalobos, 8-2, for the boys’ and girls’ 18-U doubles crowns, respectively.

Listup for the next leg in Roxas City set March 2-6 is ongoing. Details: Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP sports program development director at 0915-4046464.