Abarquez, Pague rule Bais tennis

MANILA, Philippines - Elizabeth  Abarquez from Carcar City, Cebu and Jose Maria Pague, a native of Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay dominated their respective age groups to rule the recently concluded Bais City leg of the 10th Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group tennis series.

Abarquez outclassed veteran Mary Aubrey Calma of CDO, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8, for the 16-under crown and followed it up with a 5-7, 7-5, 11-9 win over local bet Angela Cabaral in the 18-U finale of the tournament  supported by Dunlop Sports.

Pague took the 16-U title after Marc Nicole Suson from Cebu City retired in the second set but needed three sets to win the 18-U crown over Cebu bet Francisco Hidalgo, 6-1, 3-6, 10-7.

“There is no question that a major factor in the development of young tennis players is constant exposure in organized competitions played at a competitive level. This  is the way they develop the necessary skills and attitude to become winners. Cebuana Lhuillier will continue providing  these young athletes this opportunity,“ said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president-chief executive officer of Cebuana Lhuillier and current Philta chairman.

Last leg’s triple winner  and Lanao del Norte native Heinz Asian Carbonilla took home only the 10-U singles, at the expense of Dumaguete City’s Vinci Vingcoy, 4-0, 4-0.

Siquijor’s Elaine Bahonsua took the 14-U crown, beating Zamboana Sibugay’s Ma. Rica Labrador, 6-2, 6-4. She partnered with Tiffany Claire Nocos to beat Ghylliana Uy and Dianafe Perez, 8-4 in the doubles.

Other singles winners were Nocos  (12-U) over Labrador, 6-2, 6-2; Cebu City’s Harland Hogan (12-U) over  Carbonilla, 7-5, 6-4; and Lanao del Norte’s Richard Bautista (14-U) over Zamboanga del Norte’s Aaron  Jacques Geromo, 5-7, 6-2, 10-3.

The other doubles winners were Vingcoy-Sheyna Uy (10-U), Hogan-Tyrone Ybanez (14-U), Calma-Ghylliana Yu (18-U) and Fahd Kenneth Banico-Norman Joseph Enriquez (18-U).

The next leg is slated April 28-May 2 in Surigao City, according to series organizer Mario Craiz.