Unranked Yasmin Garsin fought back from a set down then outplayed No. 5 Gaby Zoleta in the decider to hack out a 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 decision and clinch a berth in the semifinal round of the PPS-PEPP Manila Polo Club National age-group tennis tournament at the MPC outdoor courts in Forbes Park in Makati City Tuesday.
Garsin banked on her baseline game and came through with big shots in the second set to draw level then sustained her form in the third to complete the reversal in the Group 2 tournament dominated by the seeded bets.
But the Tagbilaran City bet will have to come up with another big game when she slugs it out with No. 7 Renee Acena in the semis of the girls’ 16-and-under division of the event presented by Dunlop and sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Pera Padala.
Acena stopped top seed Bliss Bayking tormentor Dominique Malazarte’s run with a 6-3, 6-3 romp, while second seed Anna De Myer held off Julia Ignacio, 6-2, 7-5, to arrange a Final Four clash with No. 3 Hannah Maneja, who routed Kryshana Brazal, 6-1, 6-2.
It was practically the fancied bets’ show in other classes with top seed Bea Acena, No. 2 De Myer, third ranked Bayking and No. 4 Denise Bernardo all moving to the semis of the premier 18-U play of the tournament 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.
“Time and again, there emerges a surprise or two in the circuit and with her determination and guts, Garsin could go all the way to a dream championship,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.
Bea Acena thwarted Mikaela Vicencio, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8; De Myer whipped Tiffany Roque, 6-0, 6-3; Bayking smothered Margaud Rosales, 6-2, 6-0; and Bernardo outlasted Renee Acena, 7-5, 6-4.
In boys’ division, John David Velez stayed on course of his three-title bid as he reached the semis of the 14-, 16- and 18-U classes in straight-set fashions. The 14-year-old Davao City star eased out Miguel Vicencio, 4-2, 4-0, in his age-group, beat Keno Enriquez, 6-2, 6-4, in the 16-U semis, and trampled Edgardo Angara, 6-2, 6-4, in the 18-U side.
Other semifinalists in the boys’ centerpiece division are No. 2 Loucas Fernandez, Daniel Estanislao III and Santino Vistan, while joining Velez in the 16-U semis are Marc Jarata, Gabriel Gurria and Estanislao.
Enriquez also moved to the semis of the 14-U division along with Marcelo Katigbak and top seed Jarata.”‹