LOPTTA, Balatbat rule Flexible table tennis tilt

MANILA, Philippines –  Lo Pue Table Tennis Association and national team mainstay Sendrina Balatbat shared the spotlight by capturing the men’s team and women’s individual crowns, respectively, in the recent fifth Flexible Table Tennis Cup Championship held at the SM City Manila activity Center.

The charges of Bacolod businessman Lo Pue completed an unbeaten four-win run in the two-day event sponsored Flexible Packaging Corp. by shutting out Yokohama, 2-0, in the best-of-3 finale of the tourney jointly organized by the Table Tennis Association North District (TATAND), Manila Sports Council and SM City Manila.

LOPTTA’s Isaias Seronio set the tone of the championship series by whipping L. Crisostomo, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8, in the opening singles and teammate Mark Jimenez dumped J. Cristobal, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6, in the second match as the squad went home with the top pot of P20,000.

LOPTTA earlier blanked DIY Shop, 2-0, and Yokohama nipped IO Safe, 2-1, in the semifinals to set up the title showdown. 

Carrying the colors of the Makati Panthers, Balatbat subdued giant-killer Kheith Lynne Cruz of the College of St. Benilde, 11-3, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8, to bag the women’s crown and pocketed P5,000.

Balatbat earlier advanced to the finals with a hard-earned 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 win over teammate Arlene Borja in the semifinals, while the other semis clash saw Cruz upset top seed Cristanta Abas, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10.

TATAND president Philip Uy thanked all the participants and fans for supporting the competition, which was earlier graced during the opening rites by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Fujian Sports Bureau Chairman Xu Zheng Guo, POC secretary general Steve Hontiveros and Flexible chairman Chan Cuan.

“We hope to organize more table tennis tournaments in TATAND’s continued effort to sustatin this sport where Filipinos can also excel internationally,” Uy said.