Cano, Orendain seal Olivarez Cup semis tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Andrew Cano overwhelmed Nicholas Cano, 6-3, 6-2, while No. 3 Betto Orendain scored a walkover win over Claudio Canlas to set up a semifinal clash in the third Olivarez Cup Age Group 2013 at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat over the weekend.

No. 4 Vernon Huivonhua pulled off a thrilling 7-5, 4-6, 10-6 win over Ralph Antonio to join Cano and Orendain in the Final Four of the boys’ premier 18-and-under division of the event presented by Palawan Pawnshop and held in honor of former Parañaque mayor Dr. Pablo Olivarez.

Eric Olivarez essayed a pair of straight-set wins to reach the semis of the 16-and-under class, beating Mariano Besas, 6-2, 6-0, and Julian Dayrit, 6-1, 6-1. He will next face Jerome Romualdez, who bested Joseph Cano, 6-1, 6-0, in the other quarterfinal match.

Young Michael Eala stunned fourth seed Sohaimen Mama, 6-2, 6-0, to join the big guns in the quarterfinal round of the 14-and-under category of the event sponsored by Dunlop Sports, Stronghold Insurance, Fed-ex Air21 and Olivarez Sports Center.

Others who advanced were No. 1 Jan Seno, second seed Emmanuel Vacalares, No. 3 Cenon Gonzales, fifth ranked Emmanuel Fuelas, No. 6 Jacob Martin, No. 7 Gabriel Tiamson, and eighth seed Mimo Tomacruz.

In the girls’ 18-and-under, Ma. Angela Sunga dominated Stefi del Rosario, 6-1, 6-2, to set up quarters duel with top seed Roxanne Resma, who with No. 2 Katrina Orteza and third ranked Isabella drew a first round bye.

Nicole Amistada, meanwhile, scored a walkover win over Andie Villarosa for a Last 8 showdown with Orteza, so did Khim Iglupas, who won by default over Therese Capinpin to arrange a face-off with Jana Hernandez, who survived Ma. Dominique Ong, 6-2, 3-6, 10-7.

Isabella Mendoza romped off with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Alexis Bangayan but will have her hands full against Orteza in the quarters being played at presstime late yesterday.