AGELESS Johnny Arcilla has won every tennis tournament to be won in local tennis but continues to play because of his love for competition as well as his burning desire to remain a part of the continuing growth of tennis locally.
Just this past week Arcilla, 36, was merciless as he pounced on an ailing PJ Tierro to rule the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dagitab Festival Open Tournament in Cebu.
Arcilla exploited Tierro’s handicap (he was reportedly nursing a hurting chest muscle) and took just one hour and 25 minutes to carve a dominant 6-4, 6-4 victory in the annual circuit presented by Slazenger.
Prior to that the veteran Davis Cup campaigner also ruled the Olivarez Cup and the Pintaflores Festival, both against Tierro, and the TunaFest Open, where he disposed of Leander Lazaro.
Arcilla also led the Philippine squad, which bested 19 other teams from Indonesia and Malaysia, to first place in the Johor Invitational Tennis Team Competition 2016 at the Johor Tennis Academy in Taman Perling last October.
The road to the PPS-PEPP finals was almost as decisive for Arcilla. He steamrolled through the eliminations and then swept past Ronard Joven, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals.
Tierro, hobbled by a nagging injury, barely survived the challenge of Elberto Anasta, 6-3, 7-6 (1) in the semifinals. Tierro had nothing left IN the finals against Arcilla who relied on a variety of shots to overwhelm him.
Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro said the veteran Arcilla continues to inspire and motivate young tennis players in the country with his determination, hard work and the ability to stay in shape all year round.
The year-long tennis circuit concludes at the Brookside Hills Tennis Club in Cainta, Rizal starting Monday, December 26 when over 200 entries gear up for another spirited battle for top honors in various divisions of the regional age-group tennis circuit.
Mikaela Vicencio and Cenon Gonzales Jr. head the centerpiece 18-and-under cast that features the country’s leading junior players who remain in shape during the holiday season to vie for honors and ranking points in the Group 2 tournament.
Joining Vicencio in the roster are Bettina Bautista, Jhastine Ballado and Lila Salvacion while out to crowd Gonzales in the boys’ side of the five-day tournament sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger, are Kurt Molina, Klyde Lagarde and Wilfred Bentillo.
Vicencio is also entered in the 16-U class as second seed with Miles Vitaliano as the top ranked player and Blanche Lagrisola, Ballado, Gab Zoleta and Patricia Lim also tipped to contend for the crown.
Castro added that the tennis circuit continues to discover new faces and talent from all over the country.