MARIAN Capadocia re-asserted her mastery over Khim Iglupas but Johnny Arcilla got back at Jeson Patrombon as they shared the PPS-PEPP Pinamalayan Open Tennis Championships top honors at the Bahaghari Tennis Club in Oriental Mindoro yesterday.
Capadocia, 22, flashed superb form and broke Iglupas early in both sets en route to a surprisingly lopsided 6-2, 6-3 victory in women’s singles finals of the event sponsored by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr. It was the Antique ace’s third straight championship, counting her victories in the Brookside Open and the Mac’s Crankit Open where she outlasted Iglupas, 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(5).
Arcilla, in contrast, atoned for his setback to Patrombon at Mac’s Crankit with a 6-3, 6-4 victory to add the men’s singles crown to his vast trophy collection. The veteran Davis Cupper received P30,000 while Capadocia pocketed P20,000.
Reigning PCA Open winner Bryan Otico and Shaira Rivera bagged the mixed doubles crown worth P20,000 as they trounced Fritz Verdad and Clarice Patrimonio in the weeklong event backed by Palawan Pawnshop and held in partnership with the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro with board member Butch Buenaventura as event coordinator.
Capadocia, who also won a doubles crown in Bahrain last month, broke Iglupas in the fourth and sixth games then broke back in the eighth to wrap up the opening frame. She held serve twice in the next while breaking Iglupas in the second game to go 3-up before battling the Iligan City ace to a hold-serve game in the next six to nail the win.
Arcilla, who turned back Otico in the semis, 6-4, 6-3, yielded the first game on his serve but broke back in the next and in the sixth to grab a 4-2 lead then held serve to frustrate Patrombon, who outlasted Vicente Anasta, 6-7(15), 6-1, 6-2, in the Final Four.
Arcilla broke Patrombon again in a grueling third game of the second set and in the fifth to open a 4-1 lead. Though Patrombon, who also topped the Brookside Open, struck back and took the next three games to force a tie, Arcilla imposed his will and broke his rival in the ninth then held serve to secure the win in the event held as part of the Pinamalayan Festival celebrations.