Dayrit halts giant killer in PSC tennis

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Julian Dayrit stopped Chris Justine Prulla’s giant-killing spree as he essayed an easy 6-0, 6-0 rout to gain a crack at the boys’ 12-and-under championship in the first Philippine Sports Commission Metro 2010 Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Tennis Center yesterday.

It was the third lopsided win by Dayrit after dominating Vincent Jerome Anida, 6-0, 6-1, in the second round and whitewashing sixth pick Jerome Romualdez, 6-0, 6-0, in the quarterfinals of the weeklong meet staged by the PSC chaired by Richie Garcia.

Dayrit will dispute the crown against the winner of the Mahmoud Dimacuta-Mimo Tomacruz being played at press time.

Dimacuta upended No. 8 Mar Raphael Teng, 6-3, 6-4, in the quarters then moved into the semis with a walkover win.

No. 4 Akiko de Guzman downed No. 2 Anne Rene Castillo, 6-3, 6-4, to arrange a title duel with unseeded Ma. Angelica Sunga, who gained on a pair of walkover wins in the girls’ 16-and-under division.

Sunga is also poised to capture the girls’ 14-and-under plum after stunning top seed Maia Balce, 6-2, 6-2, in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament.

Sunga will contest the crown against No. 3 Erika Manduriao, who overpowered Andrea Nicole Amistad, 6-1, 6-2, in the quarters then scored a walkover win in the semis.

In the girls’ 12-and-under class, fancied Erika Manduriao needed a third and deciding set to turn back a stubborn No. 4 Andrea Nicole Amistad, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2, and advance to the finals.

Manduriao will square off with No. 3 Frances Santiago, who humbled No. 2 Ma. Dominique Ong in a surprisingly one-sided 6-2, 6-3 win.