PHILIPPINE Tennis Academy’s Arthur Craig Pantino led several double winners in the recent Ubay, Bohol leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age-Group Tennis Championship after taking both the boys’ 16- and 18-under titles against separate opponents.
Pantino, who hails from Cebu, was an easy 6-0, 6-1 winner over Marawi City’s Duma Hakim Boloto in the 16-under finals and duplicated it in the 18-under group, 6-3, 6-1 over Misamis Oriental’s Auden Aron Paduganan.
Pantino also shared in the 18-under doubles’ title with Francis Hidalgo after the duo beat Boloto and Clyde Mari Casino, 8-7, in the finals of the event backed by Dunlop Sports as official ball.
“His participation in the series provides an opportunity to the others to play against a higher-caliber opponents as Pantino has long been training and competing abroad under the PTA, which we also support,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President/Chief Executive Officer and Philippine Tennis Association Chairman Jean Henri Lhuillier,
Carlyn Bless Guarde from Sultan Kudarat matched Pantino’s feat in the girls’ side, winning the 14- and 16-under crowns.
She disposed of Cebu bet Elizabeth Abarquez, 6-3, 6-3, in the 14- under, but was extended 4-6, 6-1, 11-9, by another Cebu entry Shynne Villareal in the 18-under finale.
Villareal took consolation in pocketing the 18-under title after she beat local bet Dawn Albert Uy 6-4, 6-3 in the championship match of the leg that attracted 118 entries and was hosted by the Sto. Nino Tennis Club.
Villareal, together with Abarquez, ruled the 18-under girls’ doubles event.
Last year’s 10-under perennial champion Brent Sigmond Cortes from Lanao del Sur, now competing in the next higher age group, went home with the 12-under crown and shared the 14-under doubles’ title with John Sonsona.
Oroquieta City’s Nash Agustines continued his dominance of the 10-under group as he edged out Sonsona, 4-2, 5-3, for the crown.
Zamboanga del Norte’s Sydnez Ezra Enriquez blanked Noelle Marie Urgello from Cebu City, 6-0 , 6-0 for the girls’ 14-under title while in the boys’ side of the group, Sultan Kudarat’s Vince EJ Tugade emerged champion at the expense of Marc Suson.
Action in the series shifts to Bais City after the Bohol leg.