The Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis tournament holds two legs in Maasin, Leyte and Iloilo City simultaneously, both drawing huge cast of participants at the Maasin City Capitol Tennis Courts and at the Ultra Tennis Courts in La Paz Plaza, respectively.
Nilo Ledama and Anjoe Lim banner the field in the boys’ 18- and 16-and-under play in Maasin with Pherl Coderos and Elizabeth Abarquez looming as the players to be in the girls’ premier division of the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Dunlop, the official ball.
Andrei Lago and Nicholas Ocat, on the other hand, lead the boys’ 14-U roster with Bert Manlimos and Benedicto Lambonao gaining the top seeding in the 12-U category of the week-long event sponsored by Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado.
Reynan Mahusay, Prince Dimate, JJ Gazo and Jon Jimenea, meanwhile, are tipped to dispute the boys’ 18-U crown in the Iloilo City stop of the event sponsored by Mayor Jose Espinosa III with Kiana de Asis, Avril Suace, Faith Callao and Jewel Milliam expected to dispute the girls’ crown.
“Holding two simultaneous tournaments only underscore the support of these young players to our circuit, which does not only keep the youth busy this summer but also provide them the tournaments and chances to become members of future national teams,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Both tournaments, sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg, are ongoing.
Lambonao is also vying in the 10-unisex division of the event backed by Asiatraders Corp., which also drew Juliana Tenepre, Christian Estrada and Edrielle dela Cruz.
Coderos also earned the top ranking in the 16-U side with Faye Lim, Selena Olo and sibling Hazel Coderos also in the fold while Corazon Lambonao, Riza Coderos, Jade Villanueva and Elna Beronio heading the 14-U division.
Meanwhile, action shifts to San Jose, Antique on May 20-25 while Bacolod City will host the next stop on May 27-31. Registration is ongoing. For details, call PPS Sports Program Development director and event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.