Jeson Patrombon sets for grand return to the local tennis stage, headlining a stellar cast in the PPS-PEPP City of Mati Open, which unwraps today (Monday, June 13) at the City of Mati Tennis Club in Davao Oriental.
Sixteen of the country’s leading players are in the 32-player cast with Patrombon back in the hunt after missing the last Open event, the Fr. Suarez Open ruled by Johnny Arcilla, to help spearhead the country’s campaign in the recent Hanoi SEA Games.
He and partner Casey Alcantara, however, failed to keep the men’s doubles gold they captured in the 2019 Manila SEAG although they yielded it to compatriots Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales.
Still, the multi-titled 29-year-old Iligan City ace remains the top draw in the week-long tournament held in conjunctionwith Mati’s 15th anniversary celebrations with the hosts, led by Mayor Michelle Rabat, guaranteeing a successful staging of the biggest tennis event in the province’s capital city.
The seasoned Arcilla is also in the fold, his confidence bolstered by his straight-set romp over Leander Lazaro in last month’s Fr. Suarez Cup in Malabon City with the likes of Vicente Anasta, Joshua Kinaadman, Fritz Verdad, Noel Damian Jr., Norman Enriquez and Lazaro spicing up the chase for the top P40,000 purse in the event co-organized by City of Mati Tennis Club president Rosendo Linsag.
“Gathering these elite players not only promotes the sport but also inspires and motivates the youth to have a direct connection to participation,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, whose longest-running nationwide junior circuit continues to develop and train future stars.
Also out to spring a surprise or two against the top guns are Nilo Ledama, Jarell Edangga, Jose Maria Pague, Jelic Amazona, john Alejandre, Eric Tangub, Alexis Acabo and Brent Cortes.
Patrombon is also teaming up with Anasta in the men’s doubles with Arcilla partnering with Damian, Lazaro linking up with Verdad and Kinaadman joining forces with Amazona in the hunt for the top P30,000 prize.
To accommodate the big number of entries in doubles play, a qualifier will also be held today with 10 teams disputing the last four berths in the event proper, according to event organizer Bobby Mangunay.