MANILA, Philippines - Second ranked Samantha Coyiuto mastered top seed Anne Castillo, 6-2, 6-2, to capture the 18-and-under girls’ crown while No. 1 John Altiche survived Betto Orendain, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, to rule the premier event in the boys’ side of the first Philippine Sports Commission Metro 2010 Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Tennis Center yesterday.
Coyiuto, who downed Bea Ebriega, 6-0, 6-1, in the semis, dominated Castillo with her superb all-around game to fashion out the victory and lead the winners in the inaugural staging of the two-stage Group I tournament sponsored by the PSC, headed by chair Richie Garcia.
Altiche, on the other hand, needed to bounce back from a first set setback then reasserted his might against the eighth-ranked Orendain in the last two sets to prevail in the boys’ 18-under class.
Orendain, however, topped the boys’ 16-under category, turning back No. 6 Hans Asistio, 6-7, 6-4, 6-0, while No. 7 Jose Cano upset fourth seed Eric Olivarez, 7-5, 7-6(2), to win the 14-and-under diadem.
Top seeds Julian Dayrit and Joseph Tiamson also scored a pair of straight-set wins to rule their respective divisions. Dayrit defeated second seed Mimo Tomacruz, 6-0, 6-2, for the 12-under title while Tiamson capped his romp in the 10-under unisex by beating Chloe Mae Saraza, 6-0, 6-1.
No. 4 Akiko de Guzman blasted unseeded Ma. Angelica Sunga, 6-1, 6-1, to reign in the 16-and-under girls’ class but Sunga upended third seed Erica Manduriao, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, to pocket the 14-and-under crown.
Manduriao, on the other hand, copped the 12-under diadem with a walkover win over third seed Frances Santiago.
Meanwhile, the final leg of the series, backed by Dunlop Fort Elite balls, will start today with this week’s winners all expected to go for back-to-back wins in the circuit featuring the country’s future stars.