Young Sal Andrei Lago joined the growing roster of three-peat winners while Bliss Bayking sustained her winning ways as they shared the MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP Ormoc regional age-group tennis tournament at the Ormoc Midtown Tennis Courts recently.
The 14-year-old Lago toppled doubles partner Nicholas Ocat, 6-2, 6-2, to rule his age-group section then pocketed the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under titles via the same scorelines to duplicate the three-title feat posted by Althea Rose Martirez in Antique last month.
The rising star from Sogod, Leyte also whipped top seed Cedrix Bravo in the 16-U finals then repeated over Ocat in the premier 18-U division of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and presented by Dunlop.
Bayking, riding on the crest of her two-title feats in Maasin and Baybay, Leyte, scored a “twinkill” for the third time in four weeks as the San Carlos City, Negros find trounced top seed Bless Coderos, 6-4, 6-1, to bag the girls’ 16-U title then took the 18-U plum with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Joyce Gorgonio.
“Lago and Bayking should inspire the other young players that through hard work and determination, one can overcome the odds, even the best in their divisions,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. “The PPS PEPP weekly circuit has practically leveled the playing field.”
For details, call PPS-PEPP Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Sharing the spotlight in the week-long event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg were local bets Mia Gemida and Gerald Gemida, Baybay City’s Aaesha Bandalan and Manuel Jocson III.
Mia Gemida ripped top seed Corazon Lambonao, 6-1, 6-2, for the girls’ 14-U crown; Gerald Gemida held off Ruzzel Manlimos, 6-3, 6-4, for the boys’ 12-U diadem; Bandalan crushed Angelie Ramos, 6-2, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-U title; and Jocson copped the 10-unisex plum with a 5-4(5), 4-2 win over Chaunchy Aguanta.
Lago and Bayking also pocketed a victory each in doubles play with the former and Ocat blasting Dwyne Faelnar and Aaron Saure, 8-1; and the latter and Mia Gemida routing siblings Hazel and Bless Coderos, 8-2, in the 18-U finals.
Mia Gemida also teamed up with Aaliyah Bandalan to beat Corazon Lambonao II and Phoebe Salidaga, 8-2; while Lago partnered with Faelnar to thwart Ocat and Manlimos, 8-4, for his fifth crown in the 14-U championship.
Jocson and Angelo Estrada clinched the 10-U doubles title with an 8-2 rout of Reynante Bravo and Kenzo Brodeth.ww