Rivera stuns Santiago, barges into PPS semis

MANILA, Philippines - Shaira Rivera bucked the odds and upended fourth seed Frances Santiago, 6-4, 6-3, to crash into the semifinal round of the ladies singles of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Tuna Festival Open Tennis Championship at the Gen. Santos City Tennis Club in Gen. Santos City yesterday.

Rivera, the 17-year-old star from Davao, leaned on her solid baseline game and superb court coverage to break Santiago in the opening frame then sustained her form to dominate the next and stay in title hunt in the top-level tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop, the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center, and presented by Slazenger.

But the veteran of the WTA Future Stars in Singapore will need more than breaks when she slugs it out with top seed Clarice Patrimonio for a spot in the finals of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger.

Patrimonio also bundled out Patricia Velez, 6-1, 6-4, even as second seed Khim Iglupas stayed on track for another crack at the crown with a similar 6-1, 6-4 romp over Shary delos Santos in the lower half of the draw.

But Iglupas, winner of the recent Olivarez Cup, expects a tougher outing when she faces third seed Hannah Espinosa, who eased out Kathleney Arandia, 6-1, 6-0, for the other championship berth.

“It’s going to be an exciting semis series among the country’s top players with Rivera looming as the darkhorse,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, who underscored his commitment to help promote the sport and at the same time discover fresh talents from the countryside by putting up the year-long age-group circuit.

Meanwhile, top seed Johnny Arcilla and No. 2 Patrick John Tierro trampled their respective rivals to join Ronard Joven and John Altiche in the quarterfinals of the men’s division.

Arcilla, seeking to avenge back-to-back losses to Tierro in the PCA Open, advanced with a 6-1(ret.) win over Bong Bagonon to arrange a Last 8 duel with Deo Talatayod, who held off Janus Ringia, 6-4, 6-4. Tierro repulsed Roel Capangpangan for a quarters faceoff with Altiche.