Rivera-Bornia pair secures women’s title at PCA Open

MANILA, Philippines — Sharia Hope Rivera and Alyssa Bornia downed siblings Mica Ella and Kaye Emana, 6-3, 6-4, yesterday to claim the women’s doubles title in the 39th PCA Open Tennis Championships at the Plaza Dilao indoor courts in Paco, Manila.

Rivera and Bornia, the second seeds who downed Jenaila Rose Prulla and Makeilah Nepomuceno, 6-2, 7-6 (6), the day before, banked on their chemistry and experience in trouncing the younger Emana siblings and claiming the top purse worth P35,000.

The result ended the upset spree of the Emanas, who stunned the top-seeded pair of Marian Jade Capadocia and Angeline Alcala, 7-5, 6-4, in the semis to gatecrash the finals.

They were hoping to sustain their fairy tale run with another victory but Rivera, a Southeast Asian Games vet from Compostella Valley, and Bornia spoiled the party in this tournament bankrolled by Smart/PLDT, official ball Dunlop, Manila Councilor Jong Isip, San Jose Salt, W. L. Food Products, Palawan Pawnshop and PAGCOR.

The men’s doubles title match between No. 2 Jeson Patrombon and Elbert Anasta with Jose Antonio Tria and Bryan Saarenas were being played at press time.

Patrombon and Anasta humbled No. 1 Johnny Arcilla and Ronard Joven, 7-6 (6) 7-6 (5), while Tria and Saarenas outlasted Joshua Kinaadman and Nilo Ledesma, 6-1, 5-7, 10-8, in arranging a title showdown.

In the men’s singles, former ATP World No. 160 Guillermo Olaso of Spain booted out No. 2 Jeson Patrombon, 7-5, 6-2, to set up a finals encounter with No. 1 Arcilla while the women’s crown will be fought by favorites Capadocia and Prulla  today.

The event is staking a whopping cash purse worth around P1.1 million with the P200,000 going to the men’s singles winner and P100,000 to the women’s singles titlist courtesy of GAC Motors, GIMACA Convenience Store and Development Corp., Ourzen Chicken, HEAD, Ms. Rina Caniza, Mr. Benito Tan, Primo Dept Fuel Station, Kaizan Steel Trading, Cazneau, Inc. and Knaut Art Glass.