Eric Jay Tangub and Sydney Ezra Enriquez flashed top form and matched two title feats in the premier divisions of the PPS-PEPP Liloy regional age-group tennis tournament at the Liloy Lawn Tennis Club in Zamboanga del Norte last Monday.
The third seeded Tangub turned back No. 2 Lex Estillore, 6-3, 6-3, in the semis then foiled unranked Russel Daarol, 6-3, 6-4, to clinch the boys’ 18-and-under crown in the Group 2 tournament put up by the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Pera Padala and hosted by Liloy Mayor Roberto Lim Uy Jr. and club president Reginaldo Eroy.
The 16-year-old old find from Tucuran, Zambo del Sur earlier scored a 6-0, 4-1(ret.) win in his age group to complete a twinkill which local ace Enriquez matched in her side of the battle in the week-long event presented by Dunlop and backed by Asiatraders Corp.
Enriquez, from Salug, survived unseeded Princess Gom-os’ stubborn stand, hacking out a 1-6, 7-5, 10-6 decision to snare the girls’ 16-U plum then blasted the same rival, 6-3, 6-3, in the 18-U finals.
Tangub actually finished with three crowns as he teamed up with Divo Pepito to edge John Baje and Daarol, 8-6, for the 18-U doubles title.
“We always believe that a lot of talents remain untapped in the region. With more tournaments lined up in the next two weeks, we hope to inspire and provide these young players the venue to hone their skills,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
The locals dominated the other categories of the tournament, sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg, with Daarol winning the 14-U title, Phillepe Baje winning the 10-unisex crown, Faith Regencia snaring the girls’ 12-U diadem, and Yvonne Cuevas pocketing the 14-U trophy.
Daarol bounced back from his losses in the upper classes with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Tristan Cadavedo; Baje upended No. 2 Andre Omos, 5-3, 4-1; Regencia thwarted Murielle Baje, 6-4, 6-4; and Cuevas trounced top seed Jalia Elumba, 6-0, 6-1; while Elijah Maratas from Plangco, took the boys’ 12-U crown with a 6-0, 6-1 romp over Nicholas Tan.
Other doubles winners were Gom-os and Angel Rapaja (girls’ 18-U), Regencia and Yvonne Cuevas (girls’ 14-U), Cadavedo and Denzl Elumbaring (boys’ 14-U) and Rastan Baje and Lorenz Tan (10-U).
Meanwhile, action in the nationwide, year-long circuit resumes on Friday for the PPS-PEPP Salug stop while the Sindangan tournament is set Sept. 7-10. Listup is ongoing. For details, call PPS-PEPP Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. “‹