Jose Buenaventura romped away with a pair of straight-set victories while Nia Pornobi survived two tiebreakers as they shared the MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP Pinamalayan regional age-group tennis tournament at the Bahaghari Tennis Club in Oriental Mindoro recently.
Buenaventura foiled Nicos Ison twice, scoring a 6-4, 6-4 decision to pocket the boys’ 16-and-under title then the local ace came away with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the 18-U finals of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr. and presented by Dunlop.
Pornobi, on the other hand, fought back from a set down to thwart Jayleen Yoshida, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6, in the girls’ 16-U championship then the San Jose, Occidental Mindoro find warded off sibling Aira Pornobi, 6-3, 6-7(2), 10-7, to snare the 18-U crown in the event put up by Palawan Pawnshop led by president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Claire Jalbay matched the duo’s two-title feats by topping the girls’ 14-U division via a 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-8 escape over Kristine Bacungan. She also took the 12-U diadem via a convincing 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Keisha Lopez.
Top seed Marius Panahon also dominated the boys’ 14-U side, beating Jerwin Manalo, 6-0, 6-1, in the finals while Moen Gaca crushed BJ Bacungan, 6-3, 6-0, to claim the boys’ 12-U crown.
Lopez rebounded from her setback in the 12-U finals by thumping Cris Salamat, 4-0, 4-0, to pocket the 10-unisex title in the event held in partnership with the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro with board member Butch Buenaventura as event coordinator.
Meanwhile, the Baybay Tennis Club in Leyte and the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose, Antique will simultaneously hold their respective tournaments this week as part of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padal summer circuit. For details, call PPS Sports Program Development director and event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.