Sydney Ezra Enriquez bucked the odds and toppled two top-seeded rivals to complete a twinkill in the PPS-PEPP Sultan Kudarat regional age-group tennis tournament at the Isulan Capitol Tennis Courts recently.
Enriquez posted a shutout win over No. 2 Angelica Novis in the semis then shocked No. 1 and doubles partner Minette Bentillo, 1-6, 7-6(6), 10-3, to snare the 16-and-under crown. The Salug, Zamboanga del Norte find also repeated over No. 2 Bentillo, 4-6, 7-6(7), 13-11, in the Final Four then repelled top ranked Jazzelle Madis from Mlang, 6-4, 6-4, in the 18-U finals of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro.
The 15-year-old student from Salug National High emerged the lone “double” winner in the nine-category tournament presented by Dunlop and ran away with the coveted MVP crown with Heinz Carbonilla taking the top honors in the boys’ side with a dominant stint in the 12-U section.
The rising star from Maranding, Lanao del Norte dropped just two games in four matches, sweeping the first three before whipping Reymar Saldivar Jr., 6-1, 6-1, in the finals of the tournament backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.
Bentillo earlier ruled the 14-U division with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Tennielle Madis while fellow local bet Mark Directo took the boys’ 16-U diadem with a 6-1, 6-0 rout of top seed Karl Palo.
Other winners were Klyde Lagarde of Gen. Santos City, who turned back Ramon Bentillo, 7-5, 6-2, for the boys’ 18-U title; Koronadal’s Jay Balaoing, who upended No. 2 Jude Padao, 6-1, 6-1, for the 14-U crown; Tennielle Madis, who overpowered Sittie Manangking, 6-0, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-U plum; and Jose Kael Palo from Kidapawan, who pocketed the 10-unisex crown with a 5-4(0), 5-3 triumph over Jairo Ramirez.
Enriquez, who posted a rare four-title romp in Koronadal last year, actually finished with three titles as she and Bentillo ruled the 18-U doubles with an 8-0 romp over Princess Cerbito and Yi Cai Jing while Lagarde and Ramon Bentillo edged Ysydjre Elumba and Bruce Hurtado, 8-6, for the boys plum.
Andre Padao and Aslan Carbonilla thumped Saldivar and Joaquin Palo, 8-2, to pocket the boys’ 14-U doubles plum with Liana Lorenzo and Jillian Manangking clinching the girls’ diadem with an 8-3 triumph over Venice Bengan and Jalia Elumba while Jhonel Maldo and Jaire Ramirez took the 10-U doubles title with an 8-1 rout of Shaun Globasa and Jose Palo.
Meanwhile, action in the PPS-PEPP Gen. Santos City starts today (Thursday) with Digos City hosting the next stop on June 28-July 1. For details, call PPS-PEPP Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.