Guevarra, Aguilar share PPS Naga honors

MANILA, Philippines - Young Glydel Guevarra and John Benedict Aguilar enhanced their promising tennis careers by racking up two titles each while top seeds Kurt Angelo Molina and Nica Alanis lived up to the hype in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Naga City regional age-group tennis tournament at the Naga City Tennis Club last Sunday.

The 10-year-old Guevarra mastered Aika Idioma twice, posting a 6-0, 6-0 romp in the girls’ 12-and-under finals and scoring a 6-2, 6-1 victory for the 14-U crown in the Bicol leg of the Group 5 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

The future Iriga City star, winner of the 10-unisex diadem in the recent Olivarez Cup, failed to make it a three-title feat as she bowed to Aguilar in the 10-U semis with the latter repulsing Ryan Taller, 4-2, 2-4, 5-3, in the finals.

The unranked Aguilar, from Camalig, Albay, also took the boys’ 12-U plum with a tough 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Harry Bonavente to match Guevarra’s two-title exploit in the event hosted by Naga City Mayor John Bongat and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger, the official ball.

“Watch out for these two young players along with a slew of others who have been benefiting from our year-long circuit in terms of exposure and training. We hope to produce more Guevarras and Aguilars in the future through our series of tournaments nationwide,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Molina, from Daet, trounced Naga City’s Jolo Basa, 6-4, 6-1, to dominate the boys’ 18-U side but the local bet struck back to stun the top-seeded Molina in a thrilling three-setter, 6-3, 3-6, 14-12, and snare the 16-U championship.

Alanis ruled the premier girls’ division with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over fellow Iriga City bet Patricia Corporal, who took the 16-U crown with a 4-2, 4-2 win over Katrina Salvadora.