MANILA, Philippines – Club bet Macie Carlos dished out top form and ruled the girls’ 16-and-under division then foiled an upstart in the premier class to complete a “double” in the PPS-PEPP Valle Verde national age group tennis tournament in Pasig City recently.
The top seeded Carlos crushed Mica Emana from QC, 6-1, 6-0, in the 16-U finals and, as No. 3 in the 18-U class, ripped No. 2 Francesca Cruz, 4-1, 4-1, in the semis before blasting top ranked Anna Demyer tormentor Althea Ong, 6-0, 6-1, to emerge the lone “double’ winner in the Group I tournament presented by Dunlop.
Kriz Lim overpowered Ario Quines, 4-0, 4-0, to run away with the 10-unisex title then teamed up with Samuel Davila to whip Noval Brazal and Godwin Jumarang, 8-2, to clinch the 10-U doubles diadem and share the MVP honors with Carlos in the event.
Other winners in the country’s longest running talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro were Team Solinco’s Josiah Salangsang (boys’ 12-U) and Hadassah Pascua (girls’ 12-U), Quezon City Sports Club’s Lance Fernandez (boys’ 14-U) and Loucas Fernandez (boys’ 18-U), Manila Polo Club’s Miguel Castillo (boys’ 16-U) and Emana (girls’ 14-U).
Salangsang stopped Kriz Lim, 4-1, 4-0, in the semis then held off Prince Lim, 7-6(4), 6-2; Pascua upended top seed Felicia Araneta, 6-1, 6-1; Lance Fernandez warded off Kidron Pascua, 6-1, 6-4; Loucas Fernandez outlasted Daniel Estanislao III, 7-6(4), 6-4; Castillo repulsed Edgardo Angara, 7-5, 6-0; and Emana beat Hadassah Pascua, 6-0, 6-0.
Mica Emana also partnered with sister Kaye Ann to edge Kryshanna Brazal and Anna Demyer, 8-6, to snare the 18-U doubles plum with Lance and Loucas Fernandez taking the boys’ crown with an 8-3 romp over Emmanuel Davila and Pablo Gonzaga.
Sabdra Apostol and Chelsea took the girls’ 14-U diadem with an 8-1 rout of Felicia Araneta and Dominique Lhuillier, 8-1, with Joshua Diva and Prince Ricamara stopping the Lim siblings, Prince and Kriz, 8-4, for the boys’ crown in the event sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.
Meanwhile, action heats up in the Manila Southwoods leg, another Group I event being held in Carmona, Cavite. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.