Butuan hosts PPS-PEPP age-group 3rd leg

MANILA, Philippines - Action in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament shifts to Butuan City starting today with another huge field clashing for top honors and ranking points at the Butuan Capitol and Luz Village Tennis Club.

Dana Abad, Patricia Velez, Winona Cabardo and Angelica Novis banner the girls’ 18-and-under cast with Abad, Cabardo and Novis also vying in the 16-U side of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Renest Sonsona and Ramon Bentillo, on the other hand, are tipped to slug it out for the crown in the boys’ premier side although a slew of other talented players are raring to gain a crack at the crown in the four-day event serving as the third leg of the 58-stage circuit put up by the country’s leading pawnshop and remittance center to boost the sport and help produce future national players.

“Although the regular campaigners have the edge in terms of experience, we also expect some surprises that have been the norm in the circuit with so many young, new faces emerging from each leg,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Minette Bentillo and Novis headline the girls’ 14-U field while Kristine Bandolis, Casey Padilla, Jillian Manangking and Jasmen Kadalum are expected to dispute the 12-U crown in the event backed by new sponsor Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by Philta.

Ramon Bentillo gains the top seeding in the boys’ 16-U class, which includes Steven Sonsona, Vaughn Codilla, Rupert Tortal, John David Velez, Earljan Casal, Peterson Linsagan and Brent Cortez.

John David Velez, one of Davao’s rising stars, is the top seed in the 14-U division but faces a tough outing against the likes of Tortal, Cortez and Christopher Sonsona.

Nash Agustines and Chris Sonsona, on the other hand, headline the boys’ 12-U category that also lured the likes of Reyman Saldivar Jr. and Kurt Bandolis while a toss-up among Raicy Bentillo, Christian Angus, Paul Singcol and Jemarie Manggaria looms in the 10-unisex side.

Meanwhile, the fourth leg will be held in Cagayan de Oro on Feb. 9-13 with listup ongoing, according to Bobby Mangunay, also the PPS-PEPP sports program development director. For details, call 0915-4046464.