Encarnacion grabs 2 finals slots in Cebuana Lhuillier netfest

CEBU, Philippines – Christopher Encarnacion became the first player to get a double finals appearance in the penultimate leg of the 2014 Cebuana Lhuillier Age-group Tennis Championship which concludes today at the CitiGreen Tennis Resort in Brgy. Punta Princesa, this city.

Encarnacion booked his first finals appearance in the boys 18 against the U.S-trained Jan Godfrey Seno after both players defeated the Bienes brothers at Alta Vista Golf& Country Club yesterday.

Encarnacion grabbed a 10-4 win against Mike Evander Bienes, 10-4, while Seno had an easy 10-1 in the semifinal round over Clyde Bienes.

After a short rest, Encarnacion got his second finals ticket through the boys 16 after a 10-4 demolition of Manuel Francis Navales.

Encarnacion is most likely to play against Seno again in the boys 16 final with the latter looking good to win his semifinal assignment.

Francis Hidalgo, for his part, also continued to stretch his winning ways and moved up to the final round of the boys 14-under after pulling away another hard-earned victory in the semis.

Over at CitiGreen Tennis Resort, brother-and-sister Cesar Kristoffer and Kristine Renee Salimbangon will be both marching on the finals.

Cesar meets Rupert Orhell Tortal in the unisex 10-under final match today after defeating their respective semis opponents.

Salimbangon, however, missed a double championship appearance as he got overpowered by Venz Alforque in the boys 12 semifinal match. Alforque will meet Klein Canete for the boys 12 championship.

The older Salimbangon, Kristine Renee, scored a 10-5 triumph over Precious Coderos to arrange a gold medal duel against Elizabeth Abarquez. Abarquez grabbed a convincing 10-4 victory against Pink Lloyd Manabat. (FREEMAN)