Suarez, Flores rule Palawan Pawnshop netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Stefan Suarez and Keanna Flores knocked off their respective rivals in straight sets to capture the 18-and-under crowns in the 2012 Philta-Palawan Pawnshop Regional Age-Group Championships presented by Babolat at Center Court tennis club in Bacolod City recently.

Suarez, son of former Davis Cupper Raymund Suarez, foiled giant-killer Rodolfo Barquin, 4-1, 5-3, in the boys’ finals while the second-seeded Flores strung up three, 4-0, 4-0 romps, including against top seed Dionelyn Perez in the girls’ finals of the premier division in the three-day tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Babolat.

Suarez, from NCR, added the 16-U diadem with a 4-2, 4-0 rout of Jose Fernando Arguelles of PTA Bacolod while No. 2 Godfrey Seno of Cebu and third ranked Karl Baran of PTA Carlota City took the boys’ 14-U and 12-U crowns with 4-1, 4-0 and 4-0, 4-1 victories over Arguelles and Matthew Flores, respectively.

“We were impressed by these young players’ talent and skills. By providing tournaments like this, we hope to develop them into top-notch players,” said Philta regional vice-president and Palawan Pawnshop chief operating officer Bobby Castro.

Ceazar Fernando Po of PTA Bacolod outlasted top seed Cesar Salimbangon, 4-2, 2-4, 10-7, to snatch the 10-unisex title in the event, which served as the second leg of a 15-stage circuit of Philta’s nationwide talent search.

Jean Herra Sunio of Iloilo La Paz Tennis Club repulsed Tori Rose Raymundo of PTA Carlota, 2-4, 4-2, 10-5, to pocket the girls’ 16-U crown while Raymundo took the 14-U title after foiling Cebu’s Kristin Salimbangon’s two-title bid with a 5-3, 4-1 victory. Salimbangon earlier captured the 12-U title with a 4-1, 4-1 demolition of Valerie Desoyo.

Meanwhile, action resumes Friday with the staging of the third leg in Carlota City, Negros Occidental. For details and listup, contact tournament in-charge Bobby Mangunay at 0195-4046464 or email [email protected].