Tiffany Nocos and John David Velez set out for another title crack in the premier division as the PPS-PEPP national juniors tennis championships wrap up its Cebu swing beginning today (Thursday, Aug. 24) at the Consolacion courts in Laray, Consolacion.
Nocos and Velez shared the 18-and-under honors in varying fashions in the City of Naga leg last leg with the former, a rising star from Lapu-Lapu City, foiling Ormoc’s Kimi Brodeth’s bid for a golden double with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 victory.
Velez, on the other hand, stopped Mcleen Gomera’s own two-title bid with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 win with the Ormoc City ace going all-out for a third straight crown in the centerpiece category of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
With Brodeth opting to take a rest after a grueling campaign in the Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Naga stages of the four-leg Cebu tour that netted her four titles, including three in 16-U play, this week’s battle looms to be a tossup between Nocos and Judy Ann Padilla with Juliana Tenepre,
Floresque Hingoyon, Dominique Serrato, Amygray Olalo, Jean Sarap and Lea Balacuit out to spoil their projected title clash.
Velez also braces for a tougher outing this week with Gomera raring to get back at him while the likes of Hans Cabellon, Ivan Manila, Cyril Paster, Ethan Ondoy, Gerald Gemida and Gio Manito are all coming into the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro ready to stir up play.
The unranked Tenepre, meanwhile, goes all-out for defense of the 14-U diadem after the Mandaue bet upended a slew of seeded players to reign in Naga while Alexa Cruspero and Donna Mae Diamante gear up for a showdown in girls’ 12 side of the week-long event backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).
Like Velez and Nocos, Gomera tries to extend his run in boys’ 16-U division but expects a formidable challenge from the likes of siblings France and Frank Dilao, Paster and Manila, while the boys’ 14-U class is also likely to produce surprises with its full-packed 64-player roster.