Duran, Torres top PPS-PEPP netfest

MANILA, Philippines – Ma. Delrose Duran upended the top two seeds to snare the girls’ 16-and-under crown then romped off with the 18-U title to lead the winners in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional tennis circuit at Tacloban City Tennis Club in Leyte yesterday.

Baybay City’s Joshua Torres matched that two-title feat in the boys’ side of the Group 3 tournament presented by Slazenger, scoring a 3-2 (ret.) win over Chyme Arradaza in the 16-U finals. The 13-year-old rising star from the Visayas State University then crushed Ghylem Basalo, 6-0, 6-1, in the 14-U class.

Earlier, Duran, from Eastern Samar, stunned No. 2 Mae Salameda, 6-0, 6-1, in the semis then toppled top seed Anica Cari, 6-3, 6-3, to clinch the 16-U diadem. The 15-year-old upcoming player out of Gen. McArthur National Agricultural School later overpowered Trixic Sumapig, 6-0, 6-1, to capture the premier 18-U plum in the tournament backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger, the official ball of the circuit, and sanctioned by Philta.

Unranked John Chris De Paz gave the local fans something to cheer about as he copped the boys’ 18-U diadem with a come-from-behind 1-6, 6-1, 10-5 victory over Arradaza while Basalo, also from Baybay City, hacked out a 1-0 (ret.) triumph over Jhun Cedric for the 12-U title.

“Given proper training and exposure, I expect Duran, Torres and De Paz to get better along with the other players competing in our year-long nationwide circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Cari, meanwhile, atoned for her failed bid in the 16-U finals by annexing the 14-U title via a 6-1, 6-0 romp over Baybay City’s Aaliyah Bandalan, who also made up for the setback by copping the 12-U crown via a 6-3, 6-3 win over sister Aeesha.

Aeesha likewise shared the spotlight by winning the 10-unisex crown with a 4-1, 4-0 rout of Von Harvy Laniog.