For the first time, Salimbangon basks in glow of tennis success

CEBU, Philippines - Cesar Kristofer Salimbangon finally savored one sweet triumph after he topped the unisex 10-under category of the PHILTA-Palawan Pawnshop Regional Age-Group Tennis Championships Cebu leg yesterday at the Cebu International Tennis Center (CITCI) courts in Laray, Consolacion.

 “Nakadaog na gyud intawon (He won at last),” exclaimed an overjoyed father Ken Salimbangon after his eight-year-old son Cesar Kristofer beat Bacolod City's Danielle Ann Rumbines in the final 4-1, 4-0.

Salimbangon opened his bid with a 4-1, 4-0 thrashing of Ramon Alfonso Zafra. He then bested Jeff Kirby Martuna, 4-2, 4-2 to arrange a final battle with Rumbines.

Cesar Kristofer’s sister Kristine Renee, however, missed the girls 12 crown after bowing to Zethley Mae Alferez, 4-0, 4-1.

In the girls 14 class, Shyne Villareal defeated Alferez, 4-2, 1-4, 10-6, to take home the crown.

The fast rising Jana Pages, on the other hand, lifted two championship trophies. Pages outlasted Villareal in the girls 16 finals, 5-3, 4-1 and Claire Lazaga, 4-0, 4-2, in the girls 18.

Like Pages, Stefan Suarez also came up with a double victory. He upended Jesie Daniel Villarin, 4-2, 5-4 (1) in the boys 18, and Jan Godfrey Seno, 4-1, 4-1, in the boys 16 finals.

Seno, however, did not go home empty-handed as he dominated the boys 14 category after clobbering Fernando Jose Arguelles, 4-0, 4-0.

Gener Francis Lambayan completed the winners’ list after he trounced Karl Baran, 4-0, 4-2 for the boys 12 crown. (FREEMAN)