Southern aces seek PPS-PEPP honors

MANILA, Philippines – The best in the south take center stage beginning today as they vie for top honors and ranking points in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional tennis circuit presented by Slazenger at the Consolacion Tennis Club in Laray, Cebu.

The top and rising players from Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, La Carlota, Negros Occidental and Cebu, among others, all gear up for a battle royale in various divisions in the girls and boys’ sides of the Group 2 tournament serving as the fifth leg of the circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop.

Tracy Llamas of La Carlota, Gennifer Pagente of Cagayan de Oro and Sydney Ezra Enriquez of Zamboanga hope to live up to their top billing as they lead the title chase in the girls’ 18-, 16- and 14-and-under categories while National Capital Region’s Macie Carlos seeks to steal the spotlight from the provincial bets in the 12-U side of the PPS-PEPP circuit backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger, the official ball of the circuit.

“While we expect the favorites to shine, we also see a number of young and new players to emerge given the depth of the competing field and the interest shown by the young players in every leg of the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Llamas and Pagente are tipped to clash for the 16- and 18-U titles with the challenge to come from Shyne Villareal and Kristin Salimbangon in the premier section and Kiana de Asis and Salimbangon in the 16-U category along with Sydney Enriquez, Bless Coderos and Carlos.

Enriquez, meanwhile, gains the top seeding in the 14-U division with Carlos as No. 2 followed by De Asis and Shedel Gica while Carlos, Tiffany Nocos of Cebu, Thalia Suson and Jean Sarap expected to slug it out for the 12-U crown.

Keen competition is also seen in the boys’ category with Troy Llamas, Rewel Justiniani, Norman Enriquez and Vhon Tudtud leading the 18-U cast with Llamas, Justiani, and Tudtud also vying in the crowded 16-U section.