JOHNNY Arcilla completed another sweep of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Open titles, beating PJ Tierro in the Dagitab Festival finals while Clarice Patrimonio re-asserted her mastery over Khim Iglupas at the City of Naga Tennis Club in Cebu Wednesday.
Arcilla pounced on a slightly injured Tierro to pound out a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 25 minutes and cap another dominant campaign in the annual circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger. The veteran Davis Cup campaigner also ruled the Olivarez Cup and the Pintaflores Festival, both against Tierro, and the TunaFest Open, where he disposed of Leander Lazaro.
Arcilla, who thwarted Ronard Joven, 6-4, 6-4, in the semis, used a variety of shots to defeat Tierro, who survived Elberto Anasta, 6-3, 7-6(1) in the Final Four but failed to counter with solid groundstrokes against Arcilla due a nagging injury in his left chest. He pocketed another P30,000.
Patrimonio subdued a game Iglupas in their side of the finals, hacking out a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 triumph, likewise completing her sweep of the last three women’s Open crowns, including the TunaFest and Pintaflores over her young rival from Philippine Tennis Academy.
“Arcilla and Patrimonio continue to inspire and motivate our young players with their determination, hard work and the ability to stay in shape all-year round,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. “As the circuit winds up the season next week in Cainta, we hope to see more new faces emerging as we kick off another tour early next year.”
Patrimonio, one of two tennis-playing daughters of cage legend Alvin, bounced back from a second set setback, outdueling Iglupas and cashing in on her rival’s miscues in their baseline game in the decider to carve out the hard-earned win in two hours and 15 minutes. She received P20,000 during awards rites graced by Naga, Cebu Mayor Kristine Chiong.
“It was a tough win. I had to turn our match to a baseline-to-baseline duel in the decider and pounced on her errors after she went for a serve-and-volley game and won the second set,” said Patrimonio, who failed to match Arcilla’s four-title sweep after losing the Olivarez Cup crown, also to Iglupas.
On their way to the finals of the event sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger, Patrimonio held off Rachelle De Guzman, 7-5, 6-0, while Iglupas foiled Shaira Rivera, 7-5, 6-2.
Arcilla later teamed up with Iglupas to turn back Lazaro and Aileen Rogan, 7-6(3), 6-2, to capture the mixed doubles diadem.
Meanwhile, the season-ending leg of the 46-stage PPS-PEPP circuit, a Group 2 age-group tournament, will be held Dec. 26-30 at Cainta Brookside Hills Tennis Club. Listup is ongoing. For details, contact Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Regional Age Group Tennis Event organizer and Sports Program Development director at 0915-4046464.