Local bets upbeat as PPS Bacolod unfolds

MANILA, Philippines — Pete Andre Rodriguez and Alexa Milliam hope to anchor the local bets’ charge as action in the Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Bacolod leg regional age group tennis tournament gets going today at the Centercourt and Panaad Tennis Courts.

Close to 200 players are vying for top honors and ranking points in nine age categories of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger also held in celebration of the Masskara Festival.

Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia has guaranteed a successful staging of the five-day tournament, which features the likes Vhon Tudtud of Naga City, Cebu and La Carlota aces Kiana de Asis, Karl Baran and Troy Llamas.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez hopes to draw inspiration from the crowd as the No. 2 seed in the boys’ 14-and-under division clashes with Arvince Angling in the first round, hoping to go all the way to the finals against top seed La Carlota’s Khenz Justiniani. He is also vying in the 16-U class headed by Troy Llamas, Wilfredo Grospe and Reynan Mahusay.

Milliam, on the other hand, is tipped to dominate the girls’ 12- and 14-U sections that also feature Jufeann Cocoy, Jasmin Jaran and Areetha Rodriguez. Milliam is also entered in the 16-U side headed by De Asis with Erica Sevilla joining her in the premier 18-U category of the tournament backed by the Unified Tennis Group, including Cebuana Lhuillier, PPS-PEPP, Wilson, Toby’s, BMeg, Citigreen, Babolat and Tru-Flex.

“Focus should also be on the boys’ 12-, 14- and 16-U divisions and the 10-unisex side which drew 32-player rosters, ensuring wide open battle for supremacy and ranking points,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.