Mateo Rivas continued to flash top form, dominating the 16-and-under division with Ormoc’s Kimi Brodeth as they led the mix of winners in the PPS-PEPP Rep. Cindi Chan national age-group title 2022 at the Lapu-Lapu Tennis Club in Cebu last Monday.
The top seeded Rivas yielded just seven games in five matches, capping his romp with a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over No. 5 Ivan Manila as the Quezon City ace annexed his third straight victory after topping the Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Apalit, Pampanga legs of the country’s longest talent-search presented by Dunlop last month.
Brodeth likewise lived up to her top billing in her side of the battle, ripping No. 2 Shara Paliwag from Valencia, Negros Oriental, 6-0, 6-2, and though she fell short of her bid in the 18-U class, the rising Ormoc City star clinched the MVP honors with Rivas, who also reached the semis of the centerpiece division of the weeklong Group 2 tournament which kicked off a four-leg Cebu swing of the nationwide circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Tiffany Nocos, also from QC, stopped Brodeth, 6-1, 6-3, and Ormoc’s John David Velez repulsed Marc Jarata, 6-3, 6-2, as they shared the 18-U honors, while Paliwag, a former MVP at La Carlota, and Kenzo Brodeth split the 14-U crowns via 6-3, 6-0 and 6-1, 7-6(11) victories over Kate Imalay and Juvels Velos, both from Danao, Cebu, respectively.
Zita Clarke from Camiguin Island and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija’s Lexious Cruz, meanwhile, provided the sparks by snaring the 12-U titles with the former holding off top seed Ma. Caroliean Fiel tormentor Mary Brigoli, 7-6(3), 6-3, in the semis then clipping Mae Diamante, 6-2, 6-4.
The fifth-ranked Cruz, on the other hand, capped his impressive title run by trouncing No. 2 Rafa Callao, 4-1, 4-0, in the quarters, rapping third seed Matthew Morris, 6-1, 6-1, then whipping top ranked David Sepulveda, 6-0, 6-0.
Meanwhile, action shifts to Mandaue City starting today (Wednesday, Aug. 10) with Rivas and Brodeth seeking to sustain their run with the City of Naga leg hosting the next leg on Aug. 17-24.
The Cebu swing of the circuit, backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating), winds up in Consolacion, Laray on Aug. 25-31. For details, contact Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
