MORE than 300 entries begin their chase for top honors and ranking points as action in the two-week Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dagitab Festival leg regional age group tournament reels off today at the Nava City Tennis Club in Naga, Cebu.
The organizers actually tapped other venues, including the Alta Vista Sports Club, the Talisay Tennis Club and the Apo Tennis Club, to accommodate the record field vying in the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14-, 16-, -18 and 10-under unisex divisions of the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.
“We are honored to host this huge number of participants in what promises to be an action-packed competition among the best and the rising stars in various age-group categories,” said Naga City, Cebu Mayor Kristine Chiong.
The age-grouper also serves as a prelude to the Open, which features the country’s top players, firing off Dec. 17, also at the Naga City Tennis Club.
“This is going to be an exciting two-week battle of power and wits and we are inspired to have drawn this huge number of participants, particularly from the age-group, considering it’s the holiday season,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Elsie Abarquez and Tracy Llamas banner the girls’ 16- and 18-U classes that also includes Melanie Dizon and Zethley Alferez with Bliss Bayking, winner of a number of legs this year, joining the hunt in the 16-U side while leading the pack in the 14-U category of the event sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger.
Meanwhile, PPS-PEPP will also hold a series of free tennis clinics for the junior players on Dec. 29-30 at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque, on Jan. 2, 2017 at the Alabang Country Club, and on Jan. 2, 2017 at the Manila Polo Club to be conducted by former Davis Cupper Mel Ampon, son of Filipino tennis legend Felicisimo Ampon.
For details, contact Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Regional Age Group Tennis Event organizer and Sports Program Development director at 0915-4046464.
Jose Maria Pague, Norman Enriquez, Marc Pradel and Paul Coderos, on the other hand, are expected to slug it out for top honors in the boys’ 18-U division while Louise Segarra, Mark Albarracin, Jayford Canono and Vinz Lominoque leading the 16-U section of the event, which serves as the penultimate leg of the 45-stage nationwide circuit.