Salas shocks Niu, bags senior exec net crown

Unfancied Vernon Salas pulled off a shocking straight-set victory over top seed Charlie Niu, 6-4, 6-3, to capture the 35-and-above singles championship in the first Senior Executives Tennis Championships at the Quezon City Sports Club indoor shell courts over the weekend.

Salas, playing out of Angeles City, scored on down-the-line winners to break Niu in the 11th game of the first set then went on to dominate the Philippine Columbian Association bet in the second to complete his stunning victory in the week-long event organized by the Philippine Tennis Management, Inc.

In a duel of the top two seeds, Journal’s Robert Mananquil needed an extra set to thwart Mel Miguel, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, and bag the 45-and-above crown in a grueling two-hour encounter.

Raul Narciso completed the big day for the Angeles City bets by posting the other upset, beating top ranked Ted Banas, 6-0, 6-4, to pocket the 55-and-above singles diadem. Banas, however, bounced back to rule the 50-and-above singles over Nestor Gumban.

In the doubles events, Niu teamed up with Michael Sy to trounce brothers Peterson and Jefferson Lee, 6-1, 6-2, and claim the title in the 35-and-above division, while Mel Miguel and Pec Untal downed the Chito Estanislao-Fabio Zapanta tandem, 6-4, 6-2, to win the 45-and-above category.

Untal later partnered with Erlich Barraquias to beat Expedito Lim and Benito Sy, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4, and bag the 50-and-above crown, while Eddie Reyes and Conrado Francisco took the 55-and-above plum by beating Morris Melendez and Sonny Santiago.

Other winners in the event sponsored by Dunlop-Slazenger, Forten Tennis Accessories, Adidas, Viva Mineral Water, RFM, Sulo Hotel and Racks Restaurant were Teddy Banas and Raul Saberon, who prevailed over Mariano Ho and Bong Ilagan to cop the 60-and-above doubles crown.

In the ladies doubles, Deborah Lee and Belen Lim rallied from a set down to turn back Doreen Uy and Didi Foronda, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, and snatch the 30-and-above diadem. Uy, however, came back and teamed up with Sally Ong to beat Belen Lim and Ellen Go and claim the 35-and-above crown.