Anasta trips Tierro, claims Philta crown

MANILA, Philippines -  Vicente Elbert Anasta used his power and court savvy to defuse Patrick John Tierro, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(9), and capture the men’s Open singles crown in the second Olivarez-Philta Open Tennis Championships presented by Palawan Pawnshop Express Pera Padala at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat late Sunday.

The third seeded Anasta pulled through in a tight first set duel by breaking Tierro in the 10th game then kept pounding a variety of shots to scuttle his rival and broke again in the sixth game of the second set to go 2-0.

Tierro tried to stay in the best-of-five finals by holding his ground in the third but just couldn’t stop the 29-year-old Army bet after saving three match points, enabling Anasta to wrap up the match and the crown worth P40,000.

Tierro, who stopped Fil-Italian Marc Reyes in the semis, settled for P20,000.

The victory capped Anasta’s sterling campaign in the tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop Express Pera Padala and Stronghold Insurance with Dunlop as official ball and sanctioned by Philta that saw him stroll past his first two opponents. He then outlasted Leander Lazaro, 6-4, 7-5, in the third round before stopping giant-killer Joseph Victorino, 6-1, 6-1, in the quarters.

Ranged against fancied former Australian Juniors doubles champion Francis Casey Alcantara in the Final Four, Anasta didn’t flinch, pulling off an equally thrilling 7-6(4), 6-4 victory to gain a crack at the crown.

Earlier, top seed Clarice Patrimonio rallied from a set down to frustrate No. 2 Marinel Rudas, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, and pocket the ladies Open singles crown worth P20,000 in the ranking tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association. Rudas took home P10,000.

In juniors play, fourth seed Andrew Joshua Cano overcame a first-set setback and hacked out a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 reversal of second seed Eric Jed Olivarez in the boys’ 16-and-under finals while No. 16 Godfrey Seno romped off with a 6-0, 6-0 rout of No. 10 Gabriel Tiamson to cop the 14-and-under diadem.

Tiamson, meanwhile, stamped his class in the 12-and-under finals, beating second seed Mar Raphael Teng, 6-3. 6-4, while top seed Michael Francis Eala ruled the 10-unisex class with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Ryotaro Shimomura.