Abarquez scores rare tennis feat

MANILA, Philippines - Elizabeth Abarquez pulled off a rare feat in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament, winning three titles, including the girls’ 18-and-under crown in the Maasin leg at the Maasin Tennis Club in Leyte yesterday.

Abarquez, who upended top seed Larriz Coderos, 6-0, 6-2, in the semis, recovered from a second set meltdown and dominated Angeli Albino in the decider, coming away with a 6-1, 2-6, 10-3 decision in the centerpiece 18-U section of the four-day Group 4 event presented by Technifibre.

The 13-year-old Abarquez, one of the rising stars from Carcar, Cebu, earlier lived up to her billing as top seed as she took the 14-U crown with a 6-2, 6-2 romp over Albino then frustrated Albino again to pocket the 16-U diadem via a 6-2, 6-0 rout.

Joshua Ramon Torres of Baybay shared the spotlight by winning the boys’ 14-U plum via a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Jeff Paler although top seed Francis Hidalgo from Pardo, Cebu foiled his double-title bid with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the 16-U section of the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“The circuit has rarely seen one player dominating but Abarquez’s feat should inspire the other junior players to strive for more,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Second seed Norman Enriquez, another top bet from Pardo, frustrated Hidalgo’s drive for a second crown, snaring the 18-U crown with a 6-1, 6-2 romp while top seed Franconero Nuñez from Baybay survived Ghylem Basalo in a thrilling decider, 6-2, 2-6, 13-11, to snare the boys’ 12-U title.

Top-ranked Nicholas Olat bounced back from an opening set shutout with a dominant performance in the next two, scoring a 0-4, 4-1, 4-1 victory over fellow Ormoc City native and No. 2 Corazon Lambonao for the 10-unisex diadem.

Lambonao, however, took the girls’ 12-U crown with a walkover win over Denamarra Alinsub.