Balaoing grabs PPS spotlight, nails 3 titles

MANILA, Philippines — Angil Jay Balaoing toppled three top seeded rivals, including Bruce Hurtado in the centerpiece 18-and-under division, to score a rare feat in singles play in the PPS-PEPP Gen. Santos regional age-group tennis tournament at the Gen. Santos City Tennis Courts recently.

The unranked Balaoing actually shocked Hurtado in the semifinals, 6-1, 7-5, then the rising star from Koronadal City routed Jude Padao, 6-1, 6-0, to clinch the premier crown in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and presented by Dunlop.

As No. 2, Balaoing also crushed Padao, 6-1, 6-0, in the 14-U finals and overpowered Karl Palo from Kidapawan, 6-0, 6-2, to run away with the 16-U diadem and complete a three-title romp in the five-day event which served as part of the Mindanao swing of the year-long, nationwide circuit backed by Asiatraders Corp.

He actually made it four-of-four as he teamed up with Andrei Padao to beat Hurtado and Palo, 8-2, in the 18-U doubles of the tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

“Winning titles in three divisions is no mean feat and Balaoing should inspire the other young players that anything is possible through hard work and determination,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, whose year-long, nationwide circuit provides the stage for these future stars to develop their skills.

April Minette Bentillo failed to match Balaoing’s feat but shared the MVP honors with two victories, beating local bet Angela Ripdos, 6-1, 6-1, in the girls’ 14-U finals and holding off Ma. Angelica Novis from Malita, 6-4, 6-4, for the 16-U crown.

Novis, however, got back at the top Sultan Kudarat bet, hacking out a thrilling 6-4, 7-5 decision in the 18-U finals while Ripdos and Kabacan’s Reyman Saldivar Jr. shared the 12-U honors after the former blasted Merrycris Cordova, 6-0, 6-0, and the latter dominated Jose Kael Palo, 6-1, 6-0.

Kael Palo earlier ruled the 10-unisex side, thwarting Pete Mateo, 4-2, 5-4(2).

Other doubles winners were Novis and Kyle Rivera, who edged Pebe Lagarde and Kisses Yap, 8-6, in the 18-U finals; Cordova-Ripdos, who subdued Ileshkine Amaga and Sandra Mosqueda, 8-4, for the 14-U title; Derek Napala and Saldivar, who trounced Jayson Flores and Armando Saldivar, 8-4, in boys’ 14-U finals; and Jhoniel Maldo and Cian Ramirez, who outlasted Shuan Globasa and Alexavier Uy, 8-5, for the 10-U plum.