Unranked Rodolfo Barquin provided the sparks in an otherwise cruising day for the top guns as he upended third seed Vicente Anasta, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 10-3, to crash into the quarterfinal round of the Naga Open National Tennis Championships at the City of Naga tennis courts in Cebu Friday.
Top seed Johnny Arcilla and No. 2 Jose Maria Pague stayed on collision course with a pair of straight-set victories, so did fourth-ranked Eric Jed Olivarez and No. 5 Charles Kinaadman. But it was Barquin who produced the worthiest win, recovering from a lopsided setback in the opening set with a squeaker in the next before pulling through in the Group A tournament presented by Dunlop.
But Arcilla’s partner in the doubles’ title romp in PPS-PEPP San Carlos City last month will need a lot of toughening up to do as Barquin, who held off Jelic Amazona, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round, faces Kinaadman for a spot in the semifinals of the event serving as part of the Dagitab Festival celebrations.
Kinaadman, winner of the Gov. Jubahib Cup Open in Davao del Norte last September, overpowered Ryle Singson, 6-1, 6-2, and Kristian Tesorio, 6-2, 6-0, as he braces for a semis face-off with Arcilla in the upper half of the 32-player draw in the tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
The seasoned Arcilla romped past wild card Juvels Velos, 6-1, 6-1, and qualifier Noel Salupado, 6-2, 6-3, as the Brookside and Zentro Open winner set up a quarters clash with Israel Abarquez, Jr., another wild card entry, who subdued Rollie Anasta, 6-4, 6-2, then repelled Chat Conta, 6-2, 4-6, 10-4.
Pague, who captured the Buglasan Open diadem last October, trounced Evan Bacalso, 6-1, 6-1, and posted a 1-0(ret.) win over Marc Suson to arrange a face-off with top junior campaigner Eric Tangub, who also upset No. 6 Norman Enriquez, 6-2, 6-2, then survived Jeremiah Tomacruz, 4-6, 6-1, 11-9.
Olivarez, meanwhile, booted out Hakim Boloto, 6-1, 6-1, then thwarted John Mari Altiche, 6-4, 6-4, for a duel with Jan Godfrey Seno, who trampled Elvin Geluz, 6-2, 6-2, then dominated No. 8 Stephen Guia, 6-1, 6-0, in the event supported by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).