Mcleen Gomera got back at Kyle Cyd Villamar while Christine Gulagula thwarted fancied Judyann Padilla as they split top honors in the premier division of the PPS-PEPP national age-group tennis tournament in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental Friday.
Gomera, who lost to Villamar twice in last week’s Maranding leg, including in the boys’ 16-U finals, battled back from a set down then out-steadied the top seeded bet from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte in the decider to snare the 18-U crown via a 4-6, 6-4, 11-9 decision.
The victory came after Gomera, from Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, pulled off a similar 0-4, 4-1, 10-7 escape over Lovelio Gran III in the semis of the 18-U class of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.
Gulagula, on the other hand, took the girls’ 18-U diadem, also via a tough 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 verdict over Padilla in a big follow-up to the Dapitan City bet’s 16-U title romp in the Maranding stop of the ranking circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Villamar, meanwhile, reasserted his mastery over Thomas Gabuat, scoring a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the 16-U finals while Padilla made up for her failed bid in 18-U class by claiming the 16-U crown with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over AJ Acabo.
With a win and a runner-up finish each, Villamar and Padilla bagged the best player honors at the close of the two-month long Mindanao swing of the circuit sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating), according to event organizer Bobby Mangunay.
Marlyn Mesiona, from Sindangan, Zambo del Norte, continued to set record in the country’s longest-running talent-search, ruling the girls’ 14-U class for the sixth straight time with a 6-1, 6-4 romp over Cielo Gonzales, while Maranding’s Benedict Lim made it two-in-row in boys’ class with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Pete Bandala.
Hannah Jumawan from Baliangano, Misamis Occidental thumped Karim Yousef, 6-2, 6-3, to pocket the girls’ 12-U diadem while Suminot, Zambo del Sur’s Pazz Ursal blasted Vanizer Acabo, 6-2, 6-2, for a second straight title romp in the boys’ side.