Top seed Jeson Patrombon faces qualifier Jarell Edangga today (Wednesday) while No. 2 Jed Olivarez slugs it out with Joel Atienza in two of the 16 matches kicking off a busy opener of the PPS-PEPP Olivarez Cup Open Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat.
Hostilities fire off a 9 a.m. with the winners heading back to the court at 1 p.m. for the second round action of the event marking the return of pro tennis after a two-year hiatus due to global health crisis and following the relaxing of Covid restrictions throughout the country.
Edangga hurdled four matches in the two-day qualifier to clinch the fourth and last berth in the main 32-man draw, capping his run with an 8-3 victory over Marc Jarata yesterday. But he will be hard-pressed to dish out his very best against the many-time national team mainstay Patrombon, who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open Juniors in 2011.
Others who survived the elims were Aljon Talatayod, who trounced Diego Dayrit, 8-4; John Tomacruz, who blasted Keno Enriquez, 8-2; and Reymart Sabas, who repulsed Emmanuel Fuellas, 8-4.
Meanwhile, third seed Johnny Arcilla tests wildcard Axi Gonzaga, No. 4 Vicente Anasta clashes with Rusell Arcilla, Jr.; fifth-ranked Josshua Kinaadman tangles with Rollie Anasta; No. 6 Mark Alcoseba trades shot with qualifier Tomacruz; seventh seed Norman Enriquez battles Sabas; and No. 8 Noel Damian, Jr. collides with Talatayod.
Meanwhile, the organizing Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala said strict protocols will be enforced to guarantee the safety of all players and personnel involved in the staging of the country’s longest-running circuit, which also features competitions in various age-group divisions.
Also on tap is the men’s doubles, headed by the Anasta-Patrombon, and Arcilla-Kyle Dandan tandems, and the Legends 30s, 40s and 50s divisions with Dunlop, Rep, Eric Olivarez and the Olivarez Sports Center backing the event.
For details, contact event organizer and PPS-PEPP sports program development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.