Milliam posts rare PPS 3-title romp

MANILA, Philippines — Alexa Milliam dished out top form to claim three victories, including the girls’ 16-and-under title, as she dominated the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Bacolod leg regional age group tennis tournament at the Centercourt and Panaad Tennis Courts yesterday.

While she was tipped to rule her age-group and in the 14-U side, the 12-year-old Milliam added the 16-U diadem by trouncing Shyryn Salazar, 6-0, 6-4, to join the elite roster of three-title winners in the circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger.

The St. Michael Academy of Ponteveda Inc. ace earlier routed Jasmin Jaran, 6-1, 6-0, in the 12-U finals then repulsed Jufeann Cocoy, 7-5, 6-1, to clinch the 14-U plum in the Group 2 tournament backed by the Unified Tennis Group, including Cebuana Lhuillier, PPS-PEPP, Wilson, Toby’s, BMeg, Citigreen, Babolat and Tru-Flex.

Fellow SMAPI mainstay Reynan Mahusay shared the MVP honors with Milliam as he toppled Cesar Po, 7-5, 6-1, to pocket the boys’ 16-U crown but fell short in his two-title bid, bowing to Dumaguete’s Reyniel Marcellana, 6-1, 7-6(5), in the premier 18-U finals of the 43rd leg of the nationwide circuit put up by the country’s leading lending and remittance company.

Other singles winners were Cedric Bravo, Khenz Justiniani, Giovani Dimate, also of La Carlota, and Jewel Milliam while Kiana de Asis-Salazar, Karl Baran-Fernando Po, Jezel Gavituya-Alexa Milliam, Pern Po-Pete Rodriguez, and Dimate-Louchela Estember led the doubles winners.