Padilla favored in PPS Sindangan

MANILA, Philippines — Judy Ann Padilla sets out for another two-title romp while Sydney Enriquez seeks to dominate the premier side in the PPS-PEPP Mayor Labadlabad National age-group tournament, which got going yesterday at the Sindangan Tennis Courts in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.

Padilla, 14, trampled her rivals with a superb all-around game to fashion out a pair of straight-set victories, including in the 16-and-under division of the Group 2 tournament in Ozamiz City last week. It made the rising Ozamiz City star the top bet in the second leg of the Mindanao swing of the country’s longest-running talent-search.

She is also entered in the 18-U section where she will have her hands full against a slew of older, talented rivals, led by the fancied local star, Enriquez.

Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur’s Eric Tangub, meanwhile, braces for a fierce challenge in the boys’ centerpiece division. He will face tough rivals in Al Dree Pan, Russel Daarol and Brent Cortez, the last two also headlining the 16-U cast that includes Chris Sonsona and Neo Maratas from Dipolog City.

Maratas gained the top seeding in the 14-U class with Penshoppe Erquita, Andre Omos and Miggy Omos also expected to contend for the crown in the five-day event put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro and sponsored by Mayor Rosendo Labadlabad with Sindangan Tennis Club as host.

List up is ongoing for the next three tournaments, including the Liloy stop, also in Zamboanga del Norte, on Feb. 27-March 2.