MANILA, Philippines — Jose Buenaventura scored a pair of straight-set victories while Nia Pornobi survived two tiebreakers as they shared the MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP Pinamalayan regional age-group tennis tournament at the Bahaghari Tennis Club in Oriental Mindoro recently.
Buenaventura foiled Nicos Ison twice, scoring a 6-4, 6-4 decision to pocket the boys’ 16-and-under title and 6-2, 6-2 in the 18-U of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr. and presented by Dunlop.
Pornobi thwarted Jayleen Yoshida, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6, in the girls’ 16-U championship then the San Jose, Occidental Mindoro find warded off sibling Aira Pornobi, 6-3, 6-7(2), 10-7, to snare the 18-U crown in the event put up by Palawan Pawnshop led by president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Claire Jalbay matched the duo’s two-title feats by topping the girls’ 14-U via a 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-8 escape over Kristine Bacungan. She also took the 12-U diadem via a convincing 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Keisha Lopez.