Axl Gonzaga needed three grueling sets before putting away upset-conscious Exequiel Jucutan, 6-2, 2-6, 10-6, on a cloudy Thursday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center Vito Cruz, Manila.
The 13-year-old Gonzaga found his rhythm in the deciding third set, capitalizing on Jucutan’s numerous service errors to earn a seat in the finals of the 14-under boys’ action of the 29th Andrada Cup Age Group Tennis Tournament.
“Nawala ako sa laro sa second set. Pero bumawi ako sa third set, binalik-balikan ko na lang,” said Gonzaga, a seventh grader at San Beda College-Rizal.
Jucutan was the first to reach the finals, with the second berth still to be fought out between top seed Andrei Jarata and fifth-ranked Stephen Hidalgo.
Jarata made a bid to reach the finals of the 16-under boys’ action.
But Jucutan frustrated Jarata with a 6-2, 6-0, in an encounter that took place hours before Jucutan’s showdown with Gonzaga.
With Jucutan fumbling with service errors in the final set, Gonzaga managed to pull away with a 4-0 lead.
And this allowed Gonzaga to claim his second win in six matches in his personal rivalry with Jucutan.
Jarata had earlier reached the semis of the 14-under after he prevailed over Keno Enriquez, 6-4, 6-3.
He arranged a semis clash with Stephen Hidalgo, who won over Lukas Yupangco, 6-1, 6-4.
On the other hand, Jucutan reached the 16-under boys' finals, and he will have the final matchup with Venz Alforque.
Alforque earned the right to face Jucutan after his 6-0, 6-1 beating of Enriquez.
In the 18-under boys' semis, Alforque advanced to the final with a 6-2, 6-4 stopping of Darrylion Alano. Jules Lazaro will meet Alforque for the crown after he edged Genesis Zuno, 6-3, 6-1.