Faves cruise to First Gen quarterfinal

MANILA, Philippines - Shutout wins marked the chase for quarterfinal berths in the girls’ 14-and-under class in the First Gen Juntaphil Metro Age Group Tennis Championships with top seed Colleen Sioson and No. 2 Rafa Villanueva disposing of Sophia Dimalanta and Jannelle de Guzman at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Sioson and Villanueva hardly worked out a sweat in posting a pair of 6-0, 6-0 romps although they are expected to encounter stiff resistance against Celine Zamora and Khim Iglupas, respectively, in today’s Last 8 phase of the Group I tournament presented by First Gen Corporation and sponsored by Smart Communications.

Zamora scored a walkover win over Kristin Salimbangon while Iglupas booted out Stephanie Shin, 6-1, 6-1. Also advancing are third seed Frances Santiago, who also blanked Blanche Lagrisola, 6-0, 6-0, while No. 4 Nicole Amistad booted out Maxine Martin, 6-0, 6-1.

Meanwhile, Dheo Talatayod opens his title-retention drive in the boys’ 18-U as he faces Jose Nicholas Cano while second seed Calvin Canlas takes on Ellison Bingcang in the lower half of the draw of the premier event backed by Technifibre as official ball, and RCBC, Pet One, Brother Sewing Machines and conducted by Juntaphil.

Top seed Samantha Coyiuto likewise goes for a semifinal berth as she collides with Gladys Dimaculangan while second seed Ma. Angela Sunga mixes it up with Anne Cabrera in the girls’ 18-U division of the Philta-sanctioned event where there are no chair umpires except for the 10-unisex class to prepare them for competitions abroad and at the same time promote the ITF’s honor system.

Isabella Mendoza, an Assumption College-San Lorenzo senior, toppled Monika Banez, winner of two titles in Juntaphil’s Baguio junior tennis leg, 6-1, 6-3, to arrange a quarters clash with No. 4 Roxanne Resma in the girls’ premier class. In girls’ 12-U , Meagan Reyes downed Jianna Gerial, 6-2, 6-0 t and faces top seed Villanueva in the next round.