Kimberly McKenzie toppled Corazon Lambonao twice in tough fashion while Cedrick Bravo dominated the boys’ side as they shared top honors in the PPS-PEPP Mayor R. Aquino national age-group tennis tournament in Samar yesterday.
McKenzie, a half-Pinay, half-Australian from Cebu, repulsed Lambonao, 6-0, 4-6, 10-2, to rule the 14-U bracket then hacked out a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory in the 16-U finals to match Bravo’s two-title romps in his side of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and part of Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala circuit.
Bravo, one of the rising stars from Ormoc City, trounced Gerald Gemida, 6-2, 6-3, in the 16-U finals then crushed Grant Regino, 6-3, 6-1, in the premier division of the first-ever tournament at Calbayog Tennis Courts through host Mayor Ronaldo Aquino.
“We take pride in successfully staging our first age-grouper in Calbayog through Mayor Aquino’s initiative and we hope this will be a regular stop of the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
The Ormoc City bets dominated the other singles finals with Christian Laguna ruling the 10-unisex, Renante Bravo topping the 12-U, Gerald Gemida bagging the 14-U crown, Nina Grace Solano reigning in girls’ 12-U, and Mia Gemida duplicating her feat (18-U) in last week’s Baybay stop of the circuit sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.
Meanwhile, action shifts to Cotabato on Aug. 22-25. Listup is ongoing. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
Laguna downed Rhian Dedace, 4-2, 4-0; Renante Bravo upended Laguna, 6-3, 6-2; Gerald Gemida foiled Mark Barquio, 6-3, 6-2; Solano ripped May Impas, 6-2, 6-1; and Mia Gemida beating Lambonao, 6-2, 6-2.
McKenzie and Bravo actually ended up with three wins each with Kimberly joining with sibling Ashley to rout Lambonao and Mia Gemida, 8-3; and Bravo teaming up with Mark Talle to edge Brent Regino and Dwyne Balibalos, 8-6.
Other winners were Nikki Rizada-Nina Solano, Gerald Gemida-Barquio (14-U) and Aaron Uy-Laguna (10-U).